Lockdown in Delhi to curb air pollution will trouble people: Traders' body

Businessmen of Delhi are not in support of a lockdown amid the wedding season, said a statement by the Chamber of Trade and Industry

A lockdown being proposed to curb air pollution in the city will "trouble" lakhs of people even as its effectiveness is being questioned, the Chamber of Trade and Industry claimed on Tuesday.

The Delhi government has informed the Supreme Court that it is ready to take steps like complete lockdown to control air pollution but such a step would be meaningful if it is implemented across the NCR areas in neighbouring states.

Businessmen of Delhi are not in support of a lockdown amid the wedding season, said a statement by the CTI.

Brijesh Goyal, chairman of the Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI), said the traders are worried with the proposed lockdown due to air pollution. Environmental experts believe that there will be no benefit from it, he said.

Lockdown is not the solution to the problem of pollution and it will not only hurt the economy a lot but will also affect the employment of people in this wedding season, said CTI.

The wedding season has started and banquet halls hotels, farm houses, tent houses, employing lakhs of people will be hit if a lockdown is imposed, it said.

However, Goyal said that 15 lakh traders of Delhi are fully in support of the government on the issue of air pollution and whatever decision it takes, the traders will respect it.

The CTI believes that a lockdown should be the last solution to any problem, he added.