Breaking: Kamrup (M) Administration Orders Closure of Vegetable Stalls after 'Mass Gatherings' at Marketplace

Dispur, March 27, 2020:

The Kamrup (Metro) District administration has directed to close down all vegetable shops with immediate effect. This order has been issued by the Kamrup (M) administration it came to light that many people of the region were flagrantly defying the Government laid-down norms to flock markers in order to purchase "essentials". Inside Northeast has earlier reported that mass gatherings have witnessed at marketplaces such as Fancy Bazar area.

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Yesterday, the DC of the district had issued an order wherein it had been disclosed that the shops selling essential commodities would be open for an extended duration of time, however, now, that order has been rolled back in view of the skyrocketing death toll as well as defiance of lockdown norms by the people.

"For hassle free collection of essential commodities by the retailers and pirchase by the customers, Kamrup Metropolitan District Administration has fixed following time vfor opening of wholesale and retain shops including fair price shops, departmental stores/shopping malls (only grocery sections) in the Kamrup Metropolitan district w.e.f 26th March, 2020", read the communique, which informed that wholesale shops would be open from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm and retail outlets would be open from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm.

However, earlier today, it was witnessed that people were thronging the market places in great numbers, with scant regard for safety or the rules imposed by the health officials.

This prompted Assam Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma (who will address the press at 3 pm), to appeal the people not to venture out. “Request to every one – please do not go out of our own Home. We are in very critical condition. Need to follow every word of Narendra Modi in both letter and spirit. Please”, a concerned Biswa Sarma wrote on Twitter.

ALSO READ: Assam: Guwahati Residents Maintain ‘Social Distance’ While Shopping Essentials amid Corona Lockdown

In many places, people are not aware that they have to maintain distance in public, at a time when mass gatherings have been banned outright. In several places, people have been seen arguing upon being urged to maintain a queue/1 metre distance. Thus, in several of the bigger markets in Guwahati, the purpose of the lockdown — i.e. to mitigate the spread of the virus — has been lost.

However, the situation is not completely bleak, as there are some who chose to abide by the law. Keeping up with the rest of the nation’s ‘social distance’ policy while shopping essential items amid lockdown, Guwahati residents on Friday were also seen in circles made at a metre’s distance in Six Mile market area, as observed by an Inside Northeast crew. Buyers in Guwahati’s Six Mile area stood in long queues while maintaining the standard social distance, thereby bringing the much-needed relief to the Guwahati authorities.

Coronavirus Update:

At the time of filing this report, worldometers.info reports that a total of 536,820 infections have been reported so, far, with 753 of those being from India. While the virus has claimed 24,117 lives across the world, the Indian death toll stands at 20.

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