AHMEDABAD: As traders and private office employees wait in queue for hours to get their vaccine shot, Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry as well as the Gujarat Traders’ Federation have urged the government to further extend the July 31 deadline for mandatory vaccination. Serpentine queues of people were seen outside vaccination centres at Pandit Deendayal Auditorium in Bodakdev, Tagore Hall in Paldi and several other centres in Vastral and Maninagar areas of the city over the past few days.
The state’s apex industry body , on Friday, sought extension of the deadline till August 15, according to the representation made before the Gujarat chief minister. Despite a series of drives organised by civic authorities in Ahmedabad as well as other centres, several office-going employees as well as traders are yet to take their first shot, according to industry sources.
Last week itself, a vaccination camp for traders was organised at GCCI office on Sunday. The representation followed after a series of requests from traders and shop-owners who struggle to get vaccinated. Ahmedabad alone is home to at least 2 lakh shops and commercial establishments, and their operations would be impacted if the deadline is not extended.
Traders on the other hand have also requested that vaccination must be taken up on a war footing. “The government must ensure adequate supply of vaccines to ensure that all traders and shop employees are vaccinated . If the supply is not adequate to meet the demand, how does one expect traders to voluntarily get vaccinated,” said GTF president Jayendra Tanna.
