Latest order allows street hawkers to function from 6 am to 6 pm
Order meant to ‘prevent crowds at markets’, but won’t it lead to crowds elsewhere?
BENGALURU:
In another of its growing list of pandemic-related U-turns, the Karnataka government has allowed Hopcoms as well as vegetable and fruit hawkers to operate from 6 am to 6 pm. The order comes into effect from Sunday, May 2.
The order, issued on Saturday by N Manjunatha Prasad, Principal Secretary (Revenue) and member secretary, Disaster Management’s state executive committee, notes that the decision was taken to “prevent people from crowding markets”. The order has also imposed a ban on all weekly markets. As a result, KR Market in Bengaluru will be shut from Sunday morning.
No lessons learnt
The government has apparently not learnt any ‘super-spreader’ lessons even at this critical time when the state, and especially Bengaluru, continue to be ravaged by the Covid-19 second wave. With a token nod to ‘social distancing’, the order reads: “Government has allowed, from 6 am to 6 pm, all Hopcoms, milk parlours, hawkers, vegetable and fruit sellers to function while maintaining social distancing.”
The order also allows essential shops and APMCs to function from 6 am to 12 noon.
