Puducherry: Lt Governor Bedi visits shopping centres

Lt Governor Kiran Bedi paid a surprise visit to busy shopping centres here on Friday, only to find that people cared little about preventive measures in the wake of the coronavirus threat.

She was accompanied by Director General of Police Balaji Shrivastava.

In a WhatsApp message to mediapersons later, the former IPS officer said her visit "revealed that people are not really serious in social distancing".

She instructed shopkeepers to adopt preventive measures to contain the spread of the disease.

Bedi said she found several shops crowded and many lacked sanitisers.

"Places were crowded and the owners themselves were not realising that they were at risk," she said.

She further said members of the market association could have monitored the situation.

"No self-restriction was seen at the shops putting up special sale boards without making efforts for social distancing measures," she said.

The Lt Governor said she was not sure "if people of Puducherry are realising the serious consequences of the spread of the virus".