DDMA cracks down on markets, Lajpat Nagar, many others shut

New Delhi: The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Monday issued notice to Lajpat Nagar Central Market in south Delhi district of the Capital to remain shut on Sunday due to non compliance of Covid Protocols and will continue to do so until further orders.

The DDMA has asked the Lajpat Nagar Market Traders Association to show cause why action should not be initiated against the market for flouting coronavirus norms.

"It is, hereby, directed that the above market (Lajpat Nagar Central Market) is closed with immediate effect until further orders," the DDMA order stated.

An order, which was released on Sunday, directed the traders' association to ensure that all unlock standard operating procedures (SOPs) are enforced in the market within one day.

The enforcement team under the supervision of the sub-divisional magistrate conducted an inspection of the Lajpat Nagar Market and noticed COVID-19 norm violations following which, the authorities issued notice to the market association asking them to shut it down.

Several markets like Rui (cotton) Mandi in Sadar Bazar market will also remain shut on Monday and Tuesday due to flouting covid protocols. During an inspection visit, authorities saw a number of people in the market, who were not wearing their masks properly or were not maintaining any distance, an official in the DDMA told Millennium Post.

Witnessing such violations we decided to shut it down so that shopkeepers take precautionary measures themselves, the official added. SDM Kotwali, Arvind Rana, issued the order for closure of the Rui Mandi in Sadar Bazar.

"Market shopkeepers, vendors and general public in Rui Mandi, Sadar Bazar, are not following Covid appropriate behaviour. Due to large footfall, market associations and shopkeepers are unable to ensure Covid protocols," the order said. "Covid protocols are being contravened in the Rui Mandi, Sadar Bazar which may cause super spreading of coronavirus. Therefore I, Arvind Rana, Incident Commander, SubDivision Kotwalihereby order shutting down of the entire Rui Mandi, Sadar Bazar, market from July 5 to July 6 or further orders," the order stated.

However, traders in the Rui Mandi and Lajpat Nagar market association members said that it is largely the people who are not following covid behavior which is the government's job to ensure that the general public is following it. We are there to sell our goods, not impose protocols.

"By shutting down markets you cannot teach people to wear masks properly. This only affects the livelihood of the several people who are associated with markets, even labourers," one of the shopkeepers in Rui Mandi said adding that on the roads and at bus stops people gather and do not follow covid norms yet transport is not being shut down.

The DDMA on June 30 ordered shutting down of main Laxmi Nagar market, Mangal Bazar, Punjabi Basti Market, Gandhi Nagar market all in east Delhi and Janata market in the Nangloi market area in west Delhi for not following Covid protocols.