The lockdown in Chandigarh is proving its worth which is apparent with the declining cases in the city. But on the other hand, it has hit the city vendors and non-essential workers with some serious losses. They are urging the UT Administration to reconsider its decision of imposing corona curfew for a longer period in the city, which is being extended for another week.
They have urged UT Govt to establish an odd-even basis for shops and traders. The insurmountable losses keeping on piling up for them with each passing day.
Opposing the extension of the Lockdown, Charanjit Singh, president, Chandigarh Beopar Mandal, said the Administration should allow non-essential shops to open during the partial lockdown. “When banks, offices, and industries are open and people are moving freely, there is no justification in closing down shops,” he said, adding that at least the shops should be allowed to open on the pattern of the Punjab Government on an odd-even basis as traders have a liability to pay rent, salaries, bank interest, and other bills. “Also, there is a need for announcing a relief package for the traders,” he said, adding that they had already suffered huge losses during the lockdown period last year.
In an appeal, Kamaljit Singh Panchhi, president, Chandigarh Traders Association, Sector 17, urged the Administrator to announce some financial aid for traders, who were suffering from huge losses during the pandemic.
