This story is from April 10, 2020

Post-noon, cops in Pune tell grocers to shut shops

The city police on Thursday asked grocery retailers in several non-containment zones to pull down shutters of their shops after 12noon as a part of an exercise to curtail crowding and stop alleged leisure purchasing.
Post-noon, cops in Pune tell grocers to shut shops
A senior citizen wearing a mask walks past shut shops on Sinhagad Road on Thursday
PUNE: The city police on Thursday asked grocery retailers in several non-containment zones to pull down shutters of their shops after 12noon as a part of an exercise to curtail crowding and stop alleged leisure purchasing.
All shops, barring medical stores, downed their shutters after 12noon in areas under the jurisdiction of Kothrud, Warje Malwadi, Sinhagad Road, Dattawadi and Alankar police stations.
The police also conducted strict checking of vehicles in these areas. The retailers in the eastern parts of the city, like Vadgaonsheri and adjoining areas off Pune-Ahmednagar highway, and on Baner-Pashan Link Road and surrounding areas did not experience the same.
The police move caught many citizens unaware and they wondered if the action was contrary to the state government’s announcement of letting essential commodities’ shops operate 24X7. Moreover, these areas do not fall within the containment zones like the central parts (the Peth areas), Swargate and Kondhwa police station areas, where a curfew is in place and grocery stores are allowed to operate only for two hours — 10am to 12noon.
Joint commissioner of police Ravindra Shisve told TOI, “We had to take the closure decision as a precautionary measure in some areas because people are still not listening to our repeated appeals to avoid crowding and maintain social distancing norms.”
Another senior officer, who did not wish to be named, said, “We have observed that people in the areas where we told shopkeepers to down their shutters at 12noon, were indulging in leisure shopping by buying one or two commodities every day. Covid-19 positive cases have been reported from some slum pockets in these areas where many are into vegetable vending and setting up small shops. Thus the risk of virus spread is high.”

Sachin Nivangune, the president of the Pune District Retail Merchants’ Association, told TOI, “We have conveyed a message to all retail traders in the city and district to operate their vegetable, milk and grocery stores between 7am and 12noon. Our members, too, are at risk as many visit their shops. For their and the customers’ safety, we have taken the decision.”
Nivangune said, “Our association has made arrangements for home delivery in case of emergencies. We have shared the contact numbers of our members for this purpose.”
Nivangune can be contacted on 9763082353 for help. The other members of the association, including Navnath Somase (9823863365), Sunil Gehlot (7387297905), Ajit Changedia (9850707204), Bhavar Chaudhary (9822238622), Vijay Singhavi (9822400324), Prasanna Patil (9604100256), Kailas Dangi (9890054289) and Dayavan Kumawat (7722074447), would be available for home delivery assistance.
Senior inspector Pratibha Joshi of the Kothrud police told TOI, “The president and some members of the retail merchants’ body met us and said they would like to operate only till noon everyday considering the safety aspect of people.”
On Thursday morning, the police installed barricades in several lanes connecting the main roads in Kothrud and Paud Road areas. “We want to restrict unnecessary movement. People can walk to pharmacies or grocery stores,” said Pournima Gaikwad, the deputy commissioner of police (Zone-III).
Social distancing goes for a toss
On Thursday morning, a huge crowd gathered at vegetable stalls set up along a small road in Sutardara slum.
The Kothrud police immediately told all the vendors to shut shop when they came to know about it.
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