Review closing time for shops: Himachal traders

Our Correspondent

Nurpur, January 12

The HP Beopar Mandal today criticised the state government for not taking traders into confidence before taking a decision regarding them. It asked for rationalisation of the timings to close shops in various districts of the state.

Sumesh Sharma, state president of the mandal, in a letter submitted to Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Wednesday, termed irrational the weekend closure of shops and their opening timings in the state amid a surge in Covid cases.

He said that different timings notified by the district magistrates for closing shops in various districts had confused the traders. “The district magistrates should have taken the trading community into confidence so that traders can support the administration in breaking the Covid chain. The government should put restrictions on tourists or visitors to the state before restricting the timings of shops and imposing weekend closure,” he added. He underlined the need to check uninterrupted entry of visitors in the state and the enforcement of Covid appropriate behaviour.

Sharma said that restricting the hours of opening shops and the weekend closure of markets would not help in arresting the surge in Covid cases. The state government should launch a special drive to check the movement of people not wearing masks in markets, he added.

He said that the traders were ready to support the government in controlling the spread of Covid provided it asks for their cooperation. He appealed to the Chief Minister to take effective steps to save the traders from harsh restrictions, as they had already suffered huge financial losses due to lockdowns.