GUWAHATI: People are violating Covid protocols in city markets on Friday with impunity despite the district administration's warning to take strict action against violators.
There were only a few wearing masks or maintaining social distancing as this correspondent took a tour of vegetable and wholesale markets in Bamunimaidan, Fancy Bazar and Ganeshguri and the Uzan Bazar fish market.
Following health minister Keshab Mahanta's instructions, the Kamrup (Metro) district administration on Thursday constituted a task force to ensure strict enforcement of Covid-19 protocols across the city. Kamrup (Metro) deputy commissioner Biswajit Pegu said that strict action, including imposition of heavy fines, would be imposed against the violators.
Pegu on Friday told TOI that the task force started its drive against Covid-19 protocol violators. "There was a drop in the Covid-19 cases but went up again in the past few days. So, we have no option but to be strict against the violators," he added.
However, TOI did not find any policemen in the markets it had visited on Friday.
Bhagawan Biswas, sales executive of a store in Bamunimaidan wholesale market, said, "People do not follow Covid rules. What can we do? Everyone is a in a hurry and form a crowd outside the shop. They are educated people. We are just sales executives. How can we teach them Covid-appropriate behaviour? They should know."
It was around 11.30am. Around 20 people had gathered outside his store. There were gatherings in front of other stores also.
On Tuesday, the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) issued a revised standard operating procedure imposing round-the-clock curfew in seven districts, 15-hour curfew (2pm to 5am) in 16 districts and 12-hour curfew (5pm to 5am) in 11 districts, including Kamrup (Metro).
On June 26, ASDMA, while issuing a fresh SOP, reduced the curfew hours in Kamrup (Metro) district along with a few other districts to 12 hours (5pm to 5am). Earlier, the curfew was from 2pm to 5am.
The district has recorded 168 Covid-19 positive cases on Thursday while 181 on Wednesday, 203 on July 6, 197 on July 5, 140 on July 4, 168 on July 3, 186 on July 2 and 176 on July 1.
