Ajit Pawar instructs officials to meet traders
Maharashtra deputy chief minister and Pune guardian minister Ajit Pawar has instructed Pune divisional commissioner Saurabh Rao, Pune municipal commissioner Vikram Kumar and the police to hold meetings with various traders’ associations in the city to discuss lockdown measures and the current Covid crisis
Maharashtra deputy chief minister and Pune guardian minister Ajit Pawar has instructed Pune divisional commissioner Saurabh Rao, Pune municipal commissioner Vikram Kumar and the police to hold meetings with various traders’ associations in the city to discuss lockdown measures and the current Covid crisis.
Pawar’s instructions came after the traders have announced that they will open shops on Monday and violate the guidelines issued by the state government.
Pawar said, “It is true that there is anger among traders and many other elements in the society but the Covid situation in the state is in bad shape. Usually, it is my experience that if the facts get put in front of any organisation and people, they agree to the state government’s decision.”
Pune traders’ association president Fattechand Ranka said, “If the state government would announce a complete lock down, we would support it and follow all instructions. However, instead of the complete lock down, state government announced half open, and half shut lockdown, we would open our shops on Monday. We got the message from the district administration for Sunday’s meeting.”
Ranka said, “Half lockdown create more confusion, we spoke with the Maharashtra traders’ association. They also took the same stand that if there would be a strict lockdown and everything would be closed, we would support it but if it continues to be a half lockdown, shops would open on Monday.”