Textile markets to operate five days a week

Surat: The textile markets in Surat city will now operate for five days a week to curb the spread of Covid-19 infection. The decision was taken following meeting of textile industry players and Surat Municipal Corporation chief Banchhanidhi Pani on Wednesday.
SMC data revealed that at least 80 Covid-19 cases have been reported from different textile markets of Surat in last three days. Those infected are either traders, labourers or people connected to the textile markets.
In the wake of rising Covid-19 cases in the textile market areas, Pani along with Surat mayor Dr. Jagdish Patel held meeting with textile businessmen and members of Federation of Surat Textile Traders Association (FOSTTA) to discuss the issue on Wednesday.
“It has been decided to operate textile business between 9 am and 7 pm from Monday to Friday. If any trader has to open the shop other than this period, permission will have to be taken from the market's president or secretary,” said Pani.
“Also, all traders will have to sanitise their shops daily. No one will be allowed into the market without wearing a face mask. Maintaining social distancing goes without saying,” FOSTTA said in a communiqué to its members.
There are over 70,000 shops in 161 textile markets in the Surat city.