Chandigarh traders hold protests, want shops opened

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 19

Members of various market welfare associations today held a series of protests to express resentment against the curbs imposed on them due to the curfew in the city and highlight their demands.

Charanjiv Singh, president, Chandigarh Beopar Mandal, said symbolic protests while following the Covid guidelines were organised by market welfare associations of Sector 15, 21, 22, 29, 44 and 45.

He said the major demand of traders was to take care of those who were dealing in non-essential goods and allow them to open their shops either on the Punjab pattern or any other formula. They said traders did not have any objection to extension in the lockdown or any other measures to control the virus.

The second demand was immediate relief in tax liabilities, which were difficult to meet when businesses were under lockdown, he said.

He urged the government to look into their genuine demands. Earlier, Diwakar Sahoonja, chief spokesperson for the Beopar Mandal, urged all traders to strictly follow the Covid guidelines and assured the government that trader associations would support all relief measures to curb the virus.