The All Traders’ Association members met Vellore Collector A. Shanmuga Sundaram on Thursday and sought revision in timings for shops and establishments. After the report of the first COVID-19 death on Tuesday night, the district administration had ordered that the grocery shops and supermarkets should be open only between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. on Monday, Thursday and Sunday.
Association president R.P. Gnanavelu said in the earlier arrangement for operations up to 1 p.m., people did not adhere to social distancing norms at many places.
He said that there were around 3,000 grocery shops, supermarkets and departmental stores in Vellore district and they had to serve about 16 lakh population. Taking these numbers into consideration if the district administration allowed three days and that too for four hours operations, the crowd would certainly go uncontrolled. “Because of the people not keeping personal distance, traders had to meet the harassment by police and officials, which they do not want to emerge at this juncture,” he said.
While submitting a petition, he urged that the shops should be allowed for six hours on alternate days. “Considering the health condition of shopowners and workers let the district administration order closure of shops till the lockdown period, which we are ready to oblige,” Mr. Gnanavelu added.
.png?w=600)
