Ujjain: Confusion prevailed over the relaxations in corona curfew in the city on Monday.
Jewellery, utensil, garments, cosmetics, footwear among other shops opened defying curfew norms. While people flouted physical distancing norms and thronged markets.
Police looked hapless in managing the show as were seen requesting shop owners to down shutters of their outlets.
Even as the city is logging hundreds of cases a day during the second wave of corona pandemic- the District Crisis Management Group changed the corona curfew rules to suit the ensuing wedding season.
Amid the curfew which is imposed till April 26 the DCMG aimed to allow relaxations for outlets that deal in items related to the wedding season.
Following these reports, the shops of jewellery, utensils, footwear shops were also opened in the morning. People, too, turned up in large numbers at the said shops.
The curfew rules allow only shops of essential items to operate.
Shops at Gopal Mandir, Lakherwadi, Satigate, Gopal Mandir, Dhaba Road, Freeganj Sabzi Mandi, Daulatganj, Malipura, Dewasgate, Patni Bazaar, etc opened at 8 am. A large number of people started arriving in these markets for shopping.
Long queues of vehicles were seen on main routes- adding to the chaos and corona risk.
The administration was caught off guard. However, all heads of the police station and jawans at duty points were directed over wireless sets that only shops which sell garments for marriage have been allowed to operate and they should ensure that all other shops remain closed. Police officials continued to instruct traders to close shops by making announcements using the public addressing system.
However, traders remain unimpressed with the diktat of administration. They alleged that besides clothes other items are also required for weddings so such shops should also be allowed to operate.
In the morning, the police had a hard time in getting the owners to shut their shops. The shops witnessed a huge rush of shoppers and it added to the woes of cops in the field.
ASP Amarendra Singh himself went to markets making announcements from a loudspeaker. He said that people should properly study the order of the administration. This kind of negligence can prove fatal for stakeholders in the current situation.
WEDDING SEASON RELIEF TO BE WITHDRAWN
Looking at the unprecedented rush in the markets on Monday, the local administration may take a u-turn on its decision to allow relaxations for wedding season. Sources alleged that the District Crisis Management Group, which is scheduled to meet on Tuesday, is likely to take a decision in this regard. “Relaxations given in view of the wedding season will be withdrawn. Like previous order, no shop other than grocery and medicine would be allowed to operate,” they indicated.
