KOLKATA: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) brass is keeping a close watch on rampant violations of the mask rule at major municipal markets. According to a KMC health department official, civic medical officers in the boroughs have been asked to coordinate with markets department officials and conduct an awareness drive so that the shoppers mask up to keep Covid at bay.
KMC markets department officials conceded that it was an uphill task to enforce the mask rule as not only the shoppers but traders were also reluctant to wear masks. “We have sent our advisory to the market superintendents, asking them to take up the matter with the traders. We hope that the situation will improve in the coming days,” said a KMC markets department official.
A TOI survey at some of the city's major markets revealed blatant apathy towards wearing masks. At Gariahat market, both shoppers and traders were seen without masks. The scene was the same everywhere — be it the fish or the fruits and vegetable segment. However, this market is under the KMC health department’s scanner as some Ballygunge neighbourhoods have recorded a rise in Covid numbers recently.
Similarly, the KMC health department is keeping a vigil on Jadubabur Bazar in Bhowanipore after several areas located close to this market have started showing a rising trend so far as the Covid numbers are concerned. In the north, Maniktala and VIP Bazar (Kankurgachhi) are no exceptions. Though KMC borough health officials have been alerting their market department counterparts to take up an aggressive campaign at these markets, no decisive action has yet been taken, conceded a civic official.
According to a KMC health department official, one of the reasons for the recent rise in Covid cases could be the crowded marketplaces where the shoppers as well as the traders are being seen without masks. “From a survey of areas where Covid cases are rising, we have reasons to worry about several markets that are located close to the neighbourhoods from where infection may start spreading,” said a KMC health department senior official.
