Jamshedpur, April 6: The Jamshedpur Notified Area Committee (JNAC) has initiated a drive on cleaning and sanitising the open space vegetable markets especially that are allotted during the lockdown. As a result, a majority of people were seen going to market.� Apart from JNAC, civic bodies like Mango Notified Area Committee ( MNAC) and Jugsalai Municipality are chalking out plans to initiate similar process.
JNAC special officer Krishna Kumar said that the civic body has launched a massive drive to clean and sanitise the markets. Also, he appealed to people to not visit the market daily and stock up for at least three- four days to avoid unnecessary crowd.
He noted that movement of people has been limited to emergency and essential services to contain the possible spread of the coronavirus. In effect, it means citizens cannot come out of their homes and move around in public places unless they have an emergency to explain.
�We are cleaning the market but people should maintain the distance. This will help us to fight against the pandemic. We had been requesting and advising people to stay indoors. We will continue to cover more areas so that the fear virus can be thwarted,� said the official.
Meanwhile, the fish market in Sakchi witnessed heavy rush with people thronging without maintaining the necessary one metre gap between each other. Similar scenes were seen at the chicken shops across the city as well as mutton stalls.
Buyers said that people were more interested in buying chicken as against the initial trend of avoiding chicken. On Monday chicken was sold at a rate between Rs 120 and Rs 150 a kg while mutton was sold between Rs 650 and Rs 800 a kg.
City police have deployed a large force of officers at earmarked crossings to check the movement of vehicles. Multiple teams are patrolling the city to ensure people stay indoors.
The administration has issued a lockdown notice, barring essential and emergency services. �Do not step out of home unless absolutely necessary, otherwise it will not be possible to contain the spread of the contagious virus. Else, be prepared to face the police,� an officer said. Food items and medicines are among services exempt from the lockdown following the outbreak of the virus.