On Friday, the scene at the Flower Market gave little indication that a battle was on in the city to control the COVID-19 spread. Very few people wore masks and there was hardly any adherence to the physical distancing norm.
The violation of the guideline that the State Government, district administration and the Coimbatore Corporation had been insisting upon came even as the civic body held a meeting a few streets away on T.V. Samy Street to caution people against such violations while shopping for the festive season.
Only a day ago, the district administration warned commercial establishments of stringent action for failure to ensure adherence to safety guideline on their premises.
But the caution from the authorities appears to have had no effect on flower vendors, who have occupied parts of Mecricar Road, Siva Subramaniam Street, Ramachandra Road and Devangapet to make the most of the Navaratri festive season.
The traders have not only occupied large tracts of motorable space but also placed their wares so close to one another that it is difficult to follow physical distancing norm among themselves and also among buyers, complains a trader.
The failure to monitor the crowd and enforce safety protocol has resulted in flower vendors and buyers moving around without masks or not wearing these properly, rues another trader on Mecricar Road.
Recalling that Flower Market and Devangapet were among the worst affected COVID-19 pockets in the city, the traders point out that if the Corporation does not monitor the situation and enforce safety guidelines, the infection can spread.
Meanwhile, at Friday’s meeting, Corporation Commissioner P. Kumaravel Pandian asked commercial establishments, particularly textile and jewellery showrooms, to ensure that customers followed physical distancing norm and wore masks, and their employees too followed the norms. He has also asked the shop owners to place hand sanitiser at entry points, disinfect shops and broadcast awareness messages.
The Commissioner has also instructed that flower vendors and buyers too followed safety norms, Corporation officials said.
On Thursday, Collector K. Rajamani had cautioned that it was important to strictly adhere to the COVID-19 safety guidelines because the district, particularly the city, would see movement of people from within and outside the district during the festive season.
He reminded the people that the State Government had relaxed various restrictions, the threat of COVID-19 infection spreading was potent.
Mr. Rajamani had also asked commercial establishments to desist from drawing crowd by advertising discounts or freebies and warned that the administration would seriously view violation.
