Cloth, grain markets join Rajkot jewellers in voluntary lockdown

Hours after the Diwanpara cloth market and the Danapith grain market announced that they are joining the jewellery market in Soni Bazar area of Rajkot city in a self-imposed lockdown, in view of the rising cases of Covid-19, the Rajkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) on Monday convened a meeting of its member associations and announced that it was not in favour of a lockdown.

“Our members are coming to their shops and entertaining customers, despite being unwell. There is panic in other members that they might contract the virus. We posted a proposal in our WhatsApp group today to keep our shops closed for a week from Tuesday onwards. So far, around 85 per cent members have agreed with the proposal,” said Dinesh Dhamecha, president of Diwanpara Association.

“Members who are opposed to the proposal are free to keep their shops open. But the majority have decided not to open shops for a week and try to break the chain of infection,” Dhamecha said. “Danapith traders will also keep shops closed till next Monday.”

RCCI president VP Vaishnav said, “We held a virtual meeting, attended by 57 persons representing 48 member associations. The dominant view was that traders’ financial condition has already weakened due to the long lockdown… Therefore, we decided that any lockdown was not advisable now. However, associations were free to take a call independently in this matter.”