* Shops to remain shut on weekend at Ware House, Kanak Mandi
Govind Sharma
JAMMU, Sept 25: Several trade associations in Jammu have announced self-imposed lockdown in the wake of sharp rise in COVID-19 cases and resultant deaths in Jammu as despite several requests of the traders, the district administration is maintaining silence over announcement of any lockdown.
While wholesale pharmaceutical traders are already observing weekend lockdown from last week, Kanak Mandi/Ware House traders and wholesale readymade garments’ traders have announced lockdown on every Saturday and Sunday starting tomorrow.
Speaking to Excelsior, Anup Mittal, president, Kanak Mandi Traders Association said that as the COVID cases and resultant deaths are increasing fast in Jammu and the health system has proved a big failure, they have decided to observe self-imposed weekend lockdown from tomorrow so that they can save their brethren from this pandemic.
He said that when the traders who have already suffered huge losses are ready to observe weekend lockdown and bear more losses, why the administration is shying from announcing a small lockdown in Jammu. Mittal informed that not only Kanak Mandi traders but also Ware House businessmen are also going to observe weekend lockdown from tomorrow.
“About 15-20 people are dying daily in Jammu due to COVID and around 250-300 fresh patients are being reported daily alone in Jammu district. Many lives could be saved but due to inadequate health facilities in Jammu hospitals, they succumbed and the administration is unable to take a decision on lockdown. So, we have decided on our own to go for Saturday-Sunday lockdown,” said Ravi Gupta, president, Wholesale Readymade Garments Traders’ Association.
Gupta hoped that their decision will open eyes of the administration and it will announce a complete lockdown in Jammu for at least one week so that COVID chain can be broken.
Rakesh Gupta, president, Wholesale Pharmaceutical Traders’ Association, said that they felt that a short lockdown is need of the hour so that precious lives can be saved from the pandemic and in this connection they had also appealed the district administration but when they did not get any response, they decided to opt self-imposed weekend lockdown which they are already observing from past week.
Stating that there is panic in entire Jammu region due to steep surge in Corona cases, Rajinder Gupta, president, Link Road Traders Association said that a short lockdown is a must and Government should take a decision on this without any delay as pandemic has already claimed many lives.
“We also approached the district administration with the plea to impose a short duration lockdown in Jammu as Corona cases are rising and there are no proper facilities like beds, medical oxygen, functional ventilators, etc in our hospitals while the festival season is also coming and there will be huge rush in markets but till date we have received no response from the administration,” said Surinder Mahajan, president, Raghunath Bazaar Association but he hoped that the administration will announce a complete lockdown soon to break the COVID chain.
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