NAGPUR: In what can be called a biased decision on the part of the district administration while implementing the weeklong restrictions in the city, it has allowed restaurants to sell ice cream online but denied the same to the exclusive ice cream parlours. As a result, the ice cream parlour owners find themselves sitting on over a week of stock with mounting overheads.
Baskins Robbins franchisee Nitin Kukreja said it’s unfair that the same product is banned for some, while operational for others. “We are seeking permission only for online delivery as has been approved for restaurants. If they can deliver ice cream through online orders, why can’t we,” Kukreja said.
Before the implementation of the restrictions, Kukreja on Friday met city police commissioner, as part of a larger traders’ delegation, in which the issue of ice cream parlours was also raised. Kukreja said, “The police officers were convinced and said that there was no reason why ice cream parlours couldn’t accept orders online. Based on this, many of us stockpiled inventory in anticipation of the restrictions getting extended.”
“Almost all of us filled up inventory to the maximum capacity as apart from extension of restrictions, even the demand might go up due to people being at home. But on Sunday we came to know that Nagpur Municipal Corporation has denied permission for online sale,” Kukreja said.
Top N Town ice cream parlour owner Rakesh Manjani said he is stuck with heavy overheads. “Those freezers are power-guzzling gadgets and now we can’t even shut them off because of the inventory in it. So, my power bills continue to rise but income stops,” Manjani said.
Apart from them, other groups too appealed to policemen and civic authorities for keeping their shops and business open. Police commissioner Amitesh Kumar said, “We are open to receiving memorandums from traders and discussing their issues. But if they come on streets and violate guidelines, action will be taken.”
On Monday, members of Prahaar Vaahan Chaalak Sanghathan took the streets and displayed banners against restrictions. Organization’s president Rajesh Bodhare said, “Let the government first pay for our EMIs, insurance and taxes after which they can continue with the lockdown.”