People defy curfew norms in Phagwara, nearby areas

Our Correspondent

Phagwara, March 28

Despite the curfew orders, residents of Phagwara, Goraya, Phillaur, Nakodar and Nurmahal were seen stepping out on Saturday. Migrant labourers were provided ration by the district administration. District and Sessions Judge Kapurthala Kishore Kumar along with Chief Judicial Magistrate Ajit Pal Singh distributed necessary items at Guru Nanak Ashram Sapror in Phagwara on Saturday.

Some Ex- Councillors including Anurag Mankhand, Sanjeev Bugga, Malkiat Singh Ragbotra, Sanjay Grover, Munish Parbhakar, Ram Pal Uppal, Davinder Sapra besides MLA Balwinder Singh Dhaliwal, former minister Joginder Singh Maan, Union MOS Som Parkash also joined hands at different places to distribute ration to needy especially residing in slum areas.

The towns witnessed a large crowd on the roads. Moreover, all shops remained closed, but some provision and karyana stores were seen selling goods through the backdoor of their shops.

The movement of residents started early morning. However, there was no official relaxation in the curfew, but the police started patrolling around 9 am, so they stepped out to buy essential items. The door-to-door delivery of essential commodities such as milk, vegetables, and poultry products is now operational in these towns.

DC Deepti Uppal has announced the relaxation for shopkeepers and traders, who deal with agriculture, ration and food products in Kapurthala district. The movement on the roads have increased as people have got curfew passes.

While chemist shops, who got a permit from the district administration, remained open from 5 am to 8 am. Most stores have gone out of stock as residents purchased the medicine in bulck. SDM Phagwara Gurwinder Singh Johal said most of the NGOs lending a helping hands to the Civil and Police Administration.

Meanwhile, despite repeated warnings of Kapurthala DC Deepti Uppal and SSP Satinder Singh given to the traders to provide essential commodities to the people at minimum profit, some traders are taking undue advantage of the curfew and selling vegetables and fruits on higher price.