The state government has begun preparations in the run-up to a lockdown, which is likely to be imposed from mid-week. CM Uddhav Thackeray and his deputy Ajit Pawar held meetings to discuss the SOPs and also to delegate financial powers to local authorities to deal with the second wave. Senior state government officials Covid 19 India Lockdown Maharashtra: said that it is likely that a decision will be taken on Wednesday, and the work of drafting SOPs on how the lockdown will be imposed is under way.
Synopsis
Traders, however, sought to defy the curbs on the argument that about half the businesses were operational using the ‘essential’ tag and e-commerce companies had the full freedom to sell even non-essential items through the partial lockdown.
Trader unrest is brewing across Maharashtra, where only shops selling essential items are allowed to remain open. Barring Pune and Mumbai, traders tried to open their shops on Monday, but the police ensured that such outlets were again shut. Shop-owners argued that web-commerce firms, allowed to operate through the curbs, had an unfair advantage.
However, at places like Kolhapur, shops selling non-essential items remained open, reportedly due to the support of some elected representatives.
Maharashtra traders defy partial curbs, support complete lockdown
SECTIONS
Share
Synopsis
The associations said if the state government continues with the selective restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of Covid-19, they would defy the directives and open shops from Monday. However, if the state opted for a complete lockdown, they would close their shops.
Agencies
Maharashtra, the state with the largest number of Covid-19 cases, was considering imposing a complete lockdown for at least a week.
Some trade associations in Maharashtra have decided to oppose the selective restrictions that allow only those shops and establishments selling essential services to operate and force all others to close.