Mail News Service
Jamshedpur, April 20: At a time when the wild growth of COVID infections rules the roost of human lives, the Singhbhum Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) had appealed to all segments of businessmen and shopkeepers to voluntarily keep their establishments totally shut on Tuesday against the usual practice of keeping shops open till midday. But the stark reality was that shops at Jugsalai, Parsudih, Sonari, Kadma, Bistupur, Sakchi, Golmuri, Mango and other places in and around Jamshedpur were open and doing almost regular business. Market places were packed with buyers. The crowds swelled more so in view of Ramnawami and Ramadan as people flocked to make necessary purchases for the occasions.
Shopkeepers literally pooh-poohed the SCCI appeal and when asked, some retaliated stating, “During the last lockdown our shops were shut for months on end, where were the SCCI authorities then?”
The fact was that all shops were doing normal business as on any other day. In Bistupur, Clothes, readymade garments, shoe showrooms, auto spares, tyre helmet and cycle shops and showrooms were open along the main road. Robin Banerjee, a photographer of repute quipped at the sight, “It seem the businessmen have decided to let the Jharkhand government declare lockdown but they will not voluntarily down their shutters be it a call of business and trade organization as personal profits are more important to them than citizens’ lives.”
Apart from the Bistupur scene, people had flocked the city markets to purchase flags and bamboo poles for Ramnawami. Sweetmeat shops also witnessed heavy rush. At Kagalnagar in Sonari, there was a rush of tipplers at liquor outlets as they wanted to get their quota supplies ready in case lockdown was declared.
The rush at Sakchi Bazaar in the afternoon was such that all exit routes were jammed by a sea of humans and honking two wheelers. The rush was also attributed to Navratri and Ramadan. Some shopkeepers stated blandly that in the absence of government notification of lockdown who was anybody or any organization to ask them to shut shop.
Seeing the sorry state of affairs due to SCCI’s appeal for voluntary lockdown being shunned by shopkeepers, the former president of the traders’ apex body and the current national secretary of confederation of All India Traders, Suresh Sonthalia rued, “last year too when the COVID infections were peaking, SCCI’s appeal for voluntary lockdown had been turned down by shopkeepers. Until the government promulgates lockdown no one will close shop voluntarily.”
SCCI president Ashok Bhalotia opined, “The manner in which the COVID infection is spreading is indeed very disconcerting. The government should immediately order a 10 to 15 day lockdown period to break the contagious chain. Of course, I do admit that business will suffer losses but more important is to save people’s lives. I too own a factory. I too will suffer losses of several lakhs of rupees. But lives are more precious and they have to be saved.”
