Janta lockdown in Ranchi: Shops to stay shut for 3 days this week

RANCHI: Several groups, including trade bodies and professional associations, have voluntarily decided to shut their businesses for three days starting this week on an experimental basis to break the Covid-19 transmission chain. The Ranchi District Bar Association (RBDA), too, abstained from work for the next 15 days starting from Tuesday.
The Federation of Jharkhand Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FJCCI), which has 60 affiliates across the state, appealed to all businessmen and traders to join the ‘janta lockdown’ by closing their establishments from Friday to Sunday.
Talking to TOI, FJCCI general secretary Dhiraj Taneja said the voluntary lockdown bid is on an experimental basis and will take a decision on its extension if it is successful in the first week. He said the move will help the government break the Covid transmission chain.
“Different trade bodies are either going into lockdown or working in odd-even mode in isolated pockets of the state since the last few days. We thought of having a coordinated approach for responsible business during the time of the pandemic. Hence, after meeting with all our 60 affiliated units on Monday, we have made a formal appeal to all trades and business communities in the state for three days closure. The shutdown will not affect essential services,” Taneja said.
He added, “We will also apprise the government about our decision soon.”
RDBA secretary Kundan Prakashan said the association has sent a letter of the lawyers abstaining from work to the judicial commissioner. “We have also requested the court not to pass any adverse orders in absence of the lawyers,” he said.
In Garhwa district, trade bodies have already shut their shops till July 31 since Sunday while grocery shops are operating only between 8 am and 2 pm. In Jamshedpur too, the Singhbhum Chamber of Commerce and Industries had appealed to the administration to order a fresh lockdown. Since Monday, advocates of the Hazaribag Bar Association announced to refrain from going to court till July 31.
(With inputs from Sanjay Sahay)