Traders seek meet to chalk out plans

Thiruvananthapuram: The district committee of Kerala Vyapari Vyavasaayi Ekopana Samithi has appealed to the district collector to convene an emergency meeting of merchants to discuss the present situation in the city.
S S Manoj, general secretary of the samithi (Thiruvananthapuram district committee), said that district collectorate should take over the implementation of triple lockdown in the district.
Steps should be taken to avoid a situation where perishable goods rot in shops that are being asked to down shutters overnight. He said that the merchants are all in support for measures to combat the spread of the disease in the district. Earlier, the merchants had raised dissent over the decision of city corporation to make them open shops only on alternate days since it resulted in huge losses for them, especially those selling perishable goods.
He said that the declaration of lockdown in the city after all the shops closed after 7pm caused much distress to the public. They were caught unawares by the sudden decision to impose a week-long lockdown in the city.
Meanwhile, district administration relaxed the restrictions imposed on shops on Monday. As per the revised order, milk booths, vegetable stalls, grocery shops, shops selling cattle feed, poultry feed and veterinary medicine shall be allowed to function from 7am to 11am and strict social distancing measures shall be ensured.