oppn parties Maharashtra 'Mini-Lockdown': Mumbai Traders Issue Ultimatum

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  • RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat calls for one temple, one well and one crematorium to do away with deep divisions in the hindu society
  • Staff unrest plagues craft beer manufacturer Bira as current and formaer employess allege delays in salary and other payments
  • Intel appoints India-origin Sachin Katti as CTO & AI chief
  • Sebi says there is no manufacturing activity reported from Gensol's EV plant in Pune
  • Shooting WC: Former world champion drops to last in 10m air rifle individual event as his rifle malfunctions
  • Shooting World Cup: Arjun Babuta misses gold by 0.1 pont, settles for silver in 10m air rifle while Radrankksh Patil and Arya Borse win silver in 10m air rifle mixed event
  • IPL: MI beat CSK as Rohit Sharma (76 no) and Suryakumar Yadav (68 no) make short work of PKBS bolwers. CSK, with 2 points from 8 matches, have reached a point of no return in this years' competition
  • IPL: RCB beat PKBS by 7 wickets as Virat Kohli (73 no) and D Padikkal (61) sizzle
  • After Bangladesh commented on the riots in bengal over the Waqf bill, the Indian government has asked it protect the minorities in its own country and stop commenting on India's internal affairs
  • PM Modi discussed collaboration in technical and innovation fields with Tesdla owner Elon Musk, who is visiting India before the imminent entry of his firm Starlink in the country
  • Murshidabad returning to normal after clashes over the Waqf bill, internet restored, curfew lifted
  • The murder of a 17-year-old boy sparked protests in Delhi's north-east area Seelampur
  • Allahabad HC stayed the demolition of a mosque in UP's Fatehpur after the district authorities order for razing it was challenged by the Masjid Waqf committee
  • Hyderabad Police pick up an alleged fraud accused from a hotel in Kolkata but Kolkata Police not kept in the loop. Relatives of the man file a missing complaint and FIR
  • An ICU technician was held in Gurugram's Medanta Hospital for sexually assaulting a patient
RSS chief Mohan Bhagawat calls for 'one temple, one well',as well as one crematorium, to end caste differences
oppn parties
Maharashtra 'Mini-Lockdown': Mumbai Traders Issue Ultimatum

By Linus Garg
First publised on 2021-04-07 09:46:14

About the Author

Sunil Garodia Linus tackles things head-on. He takes sides in his analysis and it fits excellently with our editorial policy. No 'maybe's' and 'allegedly' for him, only things in black and white.

In a questionable move, the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (MCCIA) issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the state government to withdraw its order to keep shops selling non-essential items closed in the city till April 30. The government had issued the order to prevent crowding in marketplaces in order to break the Covid chain as the second wave has gone out of control in the state. Most markets in Mumbai see huge crowds throughout the day despite the surge in Covid cases and health protocol is not followed in most of these markets.

But the traders, mainly sellers of computers and peripherals, argue that since the spread of Covid will make work from home the preferred mode of working once again, there will be huge demand for such items and if they are forced to keep their shops shut now, they will suffer huge losses. The traders argue that since ecommerce operations will not be stopped, all their business will go to such platforms.

But the traders must share a part of the blame. After unlock started happening, all market committees (and chambers like MCCIA) became lax and thought that the virus had vanished. They allowed unrestricted entry of people in their markets and shops and did not follow any Covid protocol. They allowed customers without masks, their employees also seldom wore masks and there was provision for sanitizing hands or maintaining physical distance. The administration must also own up as it allowed these markets to function without restrictions. But since the virus has now returned with a vengeance, especially in Mumbai and Maharashtra, the government needs to take all measures it deems fit to stop the rapid spread.

But these localized or specific lockdowns are temporary measures just to break the chain (though one is skeptical about its success). The main thing is to force these markets to follow the health protocols strictly hereafter. The administration needs to monitor these markets, either by patrolling or by CCTV. Any transgression must result in warnings first, then fines and ultimately closure for a specific period. These markets must ensure that employees and customers wear masks at all times, they must provide hand sanitizers and allow entry of as many customers in the shops at a time as can be accommodated while maintaining physical distance.

When pandemics strike, profit cannot be the only motive. Yes the wheels of the economy must be kept running to keep the home fires burning but not at the cost of the health or well-being of the people. The traders must treat this 'mini-lockdown' as a strict warning and brace themselves to do business in the new normal as per the stated rules or prepare themselves for more such closures. The people, and that includes the trading community, have to support the government in its efforts to curb the spread of the virus.