Maharashtra: Commoners oppose lockdown, mad rush to buy essentials

The number of Corona patients is continuously rising in Maharashtra and to hem this the administration has decided to impose a lockdown, which has resulted in a mad rush to stock up essentials.

Mumbai: As the administration is finding it difficult to control the crowds in busy places, partial lockdown or curfew is being declared in some cities. The number of Corona patients is continuously rising in the state and administration is repeatedly appealing to people to follow Corona protocol but in vain. As the lockdown is affecting the livelihood of citizens, the industrialists, traders, shopkeepers and common citizens are expecting an option for lockdown. The impact of lockdown can be felt in Markets also. Many markets are witnessing hundreds of people rushing to purchase essentials. On the other hand, farmers unaware of lockdown have to
incur heavy losses as they brought farm produce to the closed markets.

Increase fine amount for violators instead of lockdown

In the state's vice capital Nagpur, the number of Corona cases is reported going beyond control. As more than 1500 cases reported in Nagpur in the last three days, a stringent curfew has been announced from the 15th of March to the 21st of March. On weekend, it was expected that citizens will throng in markets on Saturday and Sunday, but that did not happen. As many as 2,000 cases have been recorded in a single day, which is giving sleepless nights to the administration. Initially, the administration tried to control the Corona pandemic through weekend curfew, but as the citizens are not responding to the measure, officials said that they have to impose a lockdown.

When ETV Bharat tried to gauge the sentiments of people on this issue, most people expressed displeasure over the decision of curfew. The citizens say that the government has already pushed us into severe distress by raising the petrol and diesel prices to an unbearable level and now it is imposing lockdown. They have suggested that, instead of lockdown, the government should increase the amount of fine for violators.

Residents of Aurangabad fear lockdown

The district collector Sunil Chavan has announced the closure of markets on weekend Saturdays and Sundays and accordingly, tomorrow a complete lockdown will be in force in Aurangabad. Today the markets were full of customers triggering the fear of the rising number of Corona cases. In the wake of the Corona outbreak, the possibility of lockdown is being discussed in the district for six days. The administration has announced partial lockdown and permitted to open shops and markets from 6 AM to 9 PM. It has prepared new rules for hotels and marriage halls. Aurangabad citizens rushed to retail stores to replenish stocks of household goods. With this, fear is being expressed that the number of Corona cases may jump to a new high.

Farmers suffer from Janata Curfew in Jalgaon

Jalgaon administration has announced three days Janata curfew to control the Corona infection. The Jalgaon APMC is also closed. But, no prior information was given to farmers or traders by the APMC administration resulting in heavy losses to farmers. In this period, the district administration has passed the orders to close all vegetable markets and weekly market or Athawada Bazar. As a heavy rush was witnessed in APMC, instructions were given to close the auctioning process in the market. But, the farmers were not given any information about the closure and so they brought their produce to the market. The small traders were also absent and so the farmers had to return empty-handed. The farmers expressed anger against the APMC administration for their apathy towards them.