The introduction of weekend curfew is a nightmare for retail businesses like shops, restaurants and malls, according to the Retailers Association of India (RAI).
In a representation made to Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, RAI said the government should adopt newer restrictive measures to control the spread of Covid-19, and not the ones deployed earlier.
“We are certain that the government appreciates the efforts made by retailers to follow the SOPs on preventive measures issued by the Karnataka Government. We understand that the government is on a relentless effort to save lives. At the same time, it is also important that the economy keeps ticking and livelihoods are saved,” states the RAI representation.
The apex body asked the Chief Minister to consider certain criteria to decide the level of restrictions on business activities.
The association stated that the Covid-19 strain has changed, and the number of people vaccinated has dramatically increased. Therefore, the need for hospitalisation is lower in the case of infection by the Omicron variant of Covid-19 as compared to earlier variants. Hence, the number of hospitalisations should be the criterion to consider restrictions because of the pressure it puts on the healthcare system.
RAI suggested that the government focus on better enforcement of Covid-19 appropriate behaviour (CAB) in public places. RAI insists that shops and establishments should remain open as any kind of reduction in working hours of retail businesses would lead to crowding.
