After PM Modi intervenes, traders say Delhi markets to remain open

CAIT, however, said that if the situation warranted it would have to revisit its decision

Markets in Delhi will remain open as the traders’ body postponed its decision of a shutdown after Prime Minister Narendra Modi intervened. Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), a leading body of over 50 million small and medium merchants in the country, on Sunday said that the commercial markets in Delhi shall remain open.
 

Its decision came after the direct intervention of the PM Modi and aggressive steps announced by Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday. Shah, after holding a meeting with Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor (L-G) Anil Baijal and CM Arvind Kejriwal, announced several measures like doubling the number of test centres across the containment zones and increasing number of tests and isolation beds.
 

CAIT, however, said if the situation warranted it will have to revisit its decision. It may decide about respective markets, if the situation deteriorates, on whether to open the markets on the odd-even basis or alternate days or four-day opening and three days closing of shops.
 

“Over the last 10 days the situation in Delhi had become extremely alarming and there were widespread fear and insecurity among the traders of Delhi who had been making repeated requests to take up the matter urgently with the centre and state governments. This prompted CAIT to conduct a survey of Delhi Traders and discuss the matter with the higher authorities,” said Praveen Khandelwal, national secretary general, CAIT.

The survey, conducted among 2,800 trade associations and leaders representing 1.5 million city traders, showed that the majority of Delhi traders are in favour of closure of markets to stop the spread of Covid-19 cases. Over 88 per cent favoured closure of markets to stop Covid-19’s spread among traders and customers, while a whopping 99.4 per cent were concerned about the pandemic’s spread, and 96.6 per cent were worried about the spread at marketplaces.

 

Following the outcome of the survey, the Delhi-headquartered organisation had approached Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, Delhi L-G Anil Baijal, and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, seeking their intervention and consultation.
 

CAIT expressed satisfaction that the efforts paid off as the Prime Minister made a timely intervention and the Home Minister held fruitful discussions with the state government. “The steps announced by the Home Minister to increase and ramp up contact tracing and testing will prove beneficial as well as the decision to construct makeshift hospitals and medical facilities under the joint supervision of the central government will expedite the facilities for Covid patients,” said Khandelwal.

50.6% recovery rate
 

Meanwhile, a health ministry official said the number of recoveries is now more than the active cases as 50.6 per cent of the patients have recovered so far. With 9,195 fatalities till Sunday, India is the ninth worst-hit nation in terms of Covid-19 deaths.

With inputs from PTI