Sweet shop owners want outlets to open in morning hours, urge govt to change timing

The apex body of sweet shop

owners on Tuesday requested West Bengal government to allow the outlets to open for five hours in the morning hours during the lockdown period, instead of the stipulated four hours in the afternoon.

In a letter to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Joint Secretary of Paschimbanga Mistanna Byabosayee Samiti Jagannath Ghosh thanked her for thinking about the huge financial losses faced by them and allowing them to open their establishments for four hours from March 31 but expressed misgivings about the timing.

"The timings mentioned in the government order - 12 noon to 4 pm - may not help us economically as there are very few people on the road and the sweets manufactured will remain unsold," Ghosh said in the letter.

 

The association urged Banerjee to consider rescheduling the time from 8 am to 1 pm when more people go to markets and groceries and the sweet makers will be able to sell their products.

Ghosh said very few shops opened for four hours on Tuesday noon across the state and reported poor sales.

One of the office-bearers of the association, Dhiman Das said, "The association will ensure employees and customers follow all guidelines for the prevention of COVID-19 infection."

The West Bengal government in an order on Monday said sweetmeat shops may remain open during the lockdown period from 12 noon to 4 pm everyday from March 31 with the minimum number of staff only for take-away and packed items.

The ubiquitous "rosogolla", "sondesh" and "misti doi" have been off the platters of the sweet-toothed Bengalis during the unprecedented lockdown over the coronavirus threat.

Besides the sweet shop owners, those who supply milk to them are also staring at huge losses.