Three day market closure in pockets of South 24 Parganas, Howrah

KOLKATA/HOWRAH: Markets in Sonarpur-Rajpur municipality in South 24 Parganas and in north Howrah will remain shut for three days to bring down the positivity rate to nil. In these two areas, the positivity rates are still high, and since markets are the super-spreader zones, the civic authorities want to shut them to contain the spread. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee herself has asked these zones to adopt measures to minimize the positivity rates.
Sonarpur-Rajpur municipality administrator Pallab Das said, “We held a series of meetings after 114 people tested positive here in the last two weeks. On Friday, 12 tested positive. This is why we collectively decided to close 15 markets in the area from Monday to Wednesday. On July 1 and 2, we will review the situation and decide the next course of action.” However, medicines, milk and bread retailing will be exempted from this closure.
Niladri Nag, a businessman from Sherwood Residential Complex, said, “We have no problem if the market remains shut for three days. We can stock things for a week. But the bigger question is whether this shutdown would be of any efficacy. There should be wider vigil in the market where people don’t social distancing and often lower their guards.”
Sarba Ghosh, a teacher from Sugam Park, said, “We hope the market authority will keep a tight watch on Sunday when there can be big crowds of buyers stocking up on things as much as possible before the closure. There can be an artificial crisis and resultant price rise of commodities.”
In north Howrah and Liluah, the Howrah Municipal Corporation (HMC) has decided to shut bazars at Belur, Haraganj, Naskarpara in Ghusuri, and Liluah supermarket from Sunday to Tuesday. “We will review the situation on July 2 to decide the next course of action. The decline in the positivity rate has not been at our expected level,” said HMC administrator Arup Roy.