Aurangabad, Aug 2:
The order of the district disaster management authority (DDMA) on the closure of shops selling non-essential commodities daily at 4 pm continues to be implemented in the city. The business fraternity is demanding to grant permission to keep the shops open till evening. They are impatiently waiting for the final diktat from the state government and local administration, for the past one week, as various ministers related to Covid-19 through their statements are hinting about the lifting of restrictions to ease the pandemic situation. The confusion amongst the shopkeepers was observed on Monday as many shops were kept open till the evening hours. The police also took it easy and turned their backs.
As reported earlier, the Zilla Vyapari Mahasangh for the past many weeks is pursuing the demand of lifting the restrictions and allow the opening of shops till the evening, however, the state government has not taken the demand seriously.
Disappointed businessmen also threatened of keeping their shops open till the evening, many a time.
Accordingly, the city traders were impatiently waiting for the relaxation orders on Saturday and Sunday, but there was no development and they were compelled to keep their shops closed during the whole day on July 30 and 31.
Today, the shopkeepers opened their establishments as usual in the morning, but the confusion starts growing as the time to close the shops came closer (4 pm). As a result, the majority of the shops were spotted open in Shahgunj, City Chowk, Buddi Lane, Rangar Galli, Aurangpura, Tilak Path etc. areas till the evening. Generally, the police officials would patrol in their van or motorcycles and appeal to the traders to down their shutters after 4 pm. However, the police seem to have remained silent.
It may be noted that the positivity rate in the city is 0.45 pc. Hardly 4-5 patients are detected on testing of 2,000 to 2,500 persons. Hence the business fraternity underlined granting, permission on an urgent basis, to keep their shops open till 8 pm.