In view of the 21-day lockdown to check the spread of coronavirus, Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma called upon traders to ensure the availability of essential commodities for common people, particularly the poor and vulnerable sections, and refrain from over charging.

Speaking to trading community leaders in several district through video conferencing, Sharma said that grocery and medicine dealers were fulfilling their responsibilities like warriors in this hour of crisis.

Appreciating assistance in food supply, Sharma said that vyapari mandal should ensure that prices of essential commodities do not rise.

He said that the government was relentlessly working at its level to ensure adequate availability of essentials as there was no restriction on movement of trucks.

The deputy chief minister said that the government had taken measures to ensure the availability of essential commodities and relief to the poor.

He, however, said that the government alone could not do everything and cooperation of civil society and traders community were crucial during the difficult times.

Trader leaders of Lucknow, Banaras, Agra, Lakhimpur, Sitapur, Banda, Jalaun, Unnao, Ghaziabad, Sultanpur, Orai , Prayagraj, Noida, Barabanki, Shahjahanpur, Rai Bareli, Jhansi, Saharanpur, Mathura also raised the problems being faced related to movement of goods to their retail stores as district administration had not issued passes to them.

The trader leaders also demanded suspension of fixed charge on commercial power connections for three months.

Kanpur Metropolitan Jewellers’ Association chief Pankaj Arora also asked Sharma to direct the DGP to make special arrangements for the security of jewellery traders’ shops and jewellery markets during the lockdown.