FIRs against traders no deterrent, confusion rules

EVEN-ODD DAY THREE
Ludhiana: On the third day too, a big number of traders violated the even-odd system. Despite being an even day, odd number shops were also open. Patrolling and warning by police in several markets during the past three days failed to have any impact on the traders.
To act tough, several FIRs were registered against shopkeepers who violated the rule on Tuesday. All the FIRs were registered by Division 8 police under Section 188 of the IPC.
Division 8 SHO inspector Jarnail Singh said, “We have been conducting meetings with the shopkeepers’ associations on the even-odd system and they were duly apprised of it. But some shopkeepers violated the order, so action was taken against them. We request the traders’ fraternity to obey the system for their and their families’ safety.”
Condemning the police action, Gurdeep Singh Gosha, president of Business Bachao Morcha, said, “It is shocking that traders are being harassed and forced to follow this system, which is a complete failure. I fail to understand how the government expects a shopkeeper to earn enough money to feed his family by opening shop for only 10-11 days in a month. Moreover, now there is no guarantee that the customers will turn up during these 10-11 days. A customer, who had been loyal to one shop, will go to the other on finding it closed. This will affect business and traders’ goodwill built over the years. The system will also destroy the livelihood of a huge number of workers as owners won't be able to pay their salaries. Therefore, we demand immediate scrapping of this system.”