Residents in Panvel area will face scarcity of vegetables and non-veg items like chicken and fish as the Panvel Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided to close all fruits and vegetable shops at the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) in Panvel and fish and chicken-mutton shops in Panvel Koliwada till further order.
During the last fortnight, there has been a sharp rise in the number of positive cases of coronavirus in the PMC area. Under the jurisdiction of PMC, around 80 to 90 positive cases are being reported almost every day.
As per the order issued on Monday evening, all shops in the Panvel APMC and in Koliwada will be closed till further order. “The primary conclusion in most of the positive cases can be traced to APMC and Koliwada shops,” said an official from the PMC. He added that after the ease in lockdown, more people are visiting these crowded areas and this has added the number of positive numbers of coronavirus.
According to the official, there has been a spike in positive cases after the relaxation in lockdown. “We had already made mandatory wearing masks mandatory in public places,” said the official. He added that the local body had also sealed 32 shops for not maintaining social distancing.
Due to a sharp rise in cases, the opposition as well as a social organization had demanded another lockdown in PMC jurisdiction.
Pritam Mhatre, the opposition leader in PMC had sent a letter to the municipal commissioner and demanded to impose a strict lockdown for eight days. Mhatre said that after relaxation in lockdown, people are coming out of their houses in huge numbers and they can be seen at shops across the city.
Panvel Sangharsh Samiti (PSS), a social organization in Panvel made a similar demand on Thursday. Kantilal Kadu, president of the PSS met Sudhakar Deshmukh, municipal commissioner of PMC, and demanded a strict lockdown in PMC’s jurisdiction for 15 days. “There is a need for a strict measure to contain the rise of corona positive cases,” said Kadu. He added that the option of strict lockdown can be explored.
The civic chief Sudhakar Sonawane had shot down any such plan. However, he said that the civic body would welcome if citizens themselves implement the lockdown.
