KOLHAPUR: Traders in Kolhapur and Sangli districts want permission for the non-essential shops to remain open till 8 pm.
Both the districts are under Level 3 of Covid restrictions. As per norms, the non-essential shops can operate only till 4 pm on weekdays.
Both districts were ravaged by recent floods and though the Krishna and Panchaganga water levels have receded, several towns and villages have localities that are still inundated.
Lalit Gandhi, the president of the Western Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, said, "We have written to chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, seeking relaxation in the Covid restrictions in the flood-affected districts. The shops were shut during the floods and there was no business. Now, though the water has receded, the traders are engaged in cleaning and restoring their shops. If the shops are allowed to open till 8 pm, the traders will be able to make some money till the government's assured financial support arrives."
Thackeray had visited Harbhat Road in Sangli city and Shahupuri in Kolhapur city - both major trading places. He said that he had written to the Centre to ask the insurance companies to settle claims of the damage caused to material in shops as soon as possible and ask the banks to provide the loans at cheaper rates. The CM had also assured that the state government will provide financial support to the traders.
"Every time the financial support fixed is much lower than the actual damage. The traders enter a vicious cycle of debts. The Covid restrictions have already hit their savings and now nobody has the capital to recover," added Gandhi.
