Amid coronavirus surge, Koyambedu retail traders up in arms over clamp

CHENNAI: After a day-long protest by retail traders from Koyambedu wholesale market, a solution is likely to be worked out with a section of shops opening one day and the remaining on the next.

Traders in 1800 Koyambedu retail and semi-wholesale shops, which opened after a gap of seven months were staring at an uncertainty after the state government ordered the closure of retail shops in the Koyambedu wholesale market from April 10 following the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic.

Struggling to eke out a living and trying to stabilise their losses, the traders who have been facing restrictions while operating post lockdown, hit the road and squatted in front of the Chief Administrative Officer of Koyambedu wholesale market urging to rescind the order and allowing them to open shops.

The traders said that they have resorted to protest as they will again have to look at other means of survival if the shops are shut. "Last year, our plight was totally ignored by the government. We hardly got any aid and had to either live on debt or do other odd jobs," says Bhaskar, a semi-wholesale onion trader.

The standoff between the officials and traders, which started in the morning, continued till evening as traders braving the hot sun and surrounded by cops continued their protest after assurances by Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority and Housing secretary that their demand will be considered.

A market management committee official told TNIE that the solution is being worked out and the final decision rests with the Chief Secretary, who is currently not in the city. The decision will be announced on Monday.

It is learnt that MMC officials are working out an even and odd blueprint where a section of shops will be allowed to open on a given day and another section of shops on the next day. This way there will be no loss of livelihood and social distancing will be maintained.

S Chandran, Market management Committee Licensed Merchants Association President and Anaithu Sangankalin Kootamaippu general secretary, told TNIE that traders association also met higher officials in Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority to ensure the ban is not enforced. "Currently, the public is banned from entering the market and almost 70 per cent of people below the age of 18 have been inoculated. All the precautions are being taken. The retail traders have already been impacted by the lockdown and the government should ensure their livelihoods are not lost," he said.

He said the traders have nothing to do with the spread of the second wave of the pandemic. "It was the politicians and the election campaign which was the cause of the rise in a pandemic. The authorities should have been strict in ensuring that social distancing norms are maintained and masks were made mandatory," he said.

The retail trade in the Koyambedu market was closed on April 27 and the entire market on May 5. The retailers were allowed to restart business on November 16 but with restrictions. Initially, the business was dull and recently trade has been picking up.

"I had lost Rs 5 lakh when the lockdown was implemented as I could not locate those who had purchased goods from me. Business was shut and I have to live on cash reserves which was depleting," says Bhaskar.

Koyambedu Vegetable, Fruits and Flower Merchant association president Thiagarajan said that business has been hit badly due to Covid-19. "Only half the business compared to pre-Covid time is happening and at this juncture, a clamp on retail trade would impact badly. Most of them had already downed shutters due to debt following seven months of lockdown," he said.