Siliguri traders to keep shops shut after 6pm - They express concerns over rising Covid-19 cases

SNS, SILIGURI, 20 APRIL 21 : Amid concerns over the rising number of Covid- 19 cases in the town, a group of traders in Siliguri have decided to shorten their business hours and close shops early at 6 pm. The traders believe that the move will help contain the infection to some extent.

According to the president of the Hardware Merchants' Association in Siliguri, Sandeep Sinhal, they took the decision as the Covid cases were rising exponentially. There are 450 members in the association.

"In view of the present situation, we have decided that shops will remain open from 10 am to 6 pm from now, instead of 9.30 am-8 pm. Traders have already started following this timing. We appeal to all the traders' bodies to shorten the business hours to minimise gathering of customers. We believe it will help restrain the crowd in the shops," Mr Sinhal said.

There are around 1000 hardware shops in Siliguri.

"Though the move will affect around 15 percent of our business, for the larger interest, we should spread the message of awareness. The infection is spreading rapidly. We have talked to shop owners and customers will not be entertained if they do not wear masks," Mr Sinhal said.

The state is witnessing a surge in Covid-19 cases with each north Bengal district recording around 100 cases or more daily. Health department officials said 332 cases had been reported in Darjeeling Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar districts, according to test reports of 19 April.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee yesterday ruled out the possibility of imposing a lockdown in the state for now, despite the spike in the cases. Miss Banerjee also dismissed any possibility of imposing a night curfew in the state, stating that the steps were not a solution to the problem at hand.

Doctors appeal to take Covid jabs

The Association of Health Service Doctors (AHSD) has appealed to people to get themselves vaccinated against Covid-I9.

"We are requesting people to get the vaccines at the earliest and encourage others," said the general secretary of the AHSD, Dr Manas Gumta.

The nationwide vaccination campaign began on 16 January. Now, the Covid -19 vaccination will be made available for all citizens above the age of 18 years from 1 May onwards.

Dr Gumta said the situation in the country and the state was alarming after the second wave of the coronavirus hit the region.

"The number of cases and deaths is increasing daily. The situation of the common people is terrible," he said.

Dr Gumta said that fear had became " encyclopaedical" due to the failure in the planning in the pubilc health sector of the Centre and the state government.

Ile said AHSD will stand beside the people in the time of crisis. Doctors of the association will be active 24x7.