At a time when people are considering social distancing as an effective measure to check the spread of coronavirus, crowding at places like fruit and vegetable wholesale markets of BokaroThermal and Kathara continue. Many traders, in this regard, at these local markets, have raised this concern with the local police and district administration.
“Daily scores of retail vegetable and fruit vendors arrive at these markets to get stock and then to get dispersed in different shops of the thermal city. In such condition, if even one person has coronavirus, then he could put many in danger,” said Surendra, a vegetable seller from inside vegetable market.
Some even suggested that wholesale mandis should be closed for at least one or two weeks.Many shopkeepers and buyers of central market and vegetable market neither wear face masks nor maintain distance. Poor social distancing norms followed at temporary Sunday markets, especially the vegetable market functioning along Bokaro Thermal station road in the city,and Kathara market has caused concern among many residents,said Willson Francis a trade union leader.
The authorities, after clamping prohibitory order last month to check the spread of the COVID 19 pandemic, had sought to decongest the any market and announced the opening of temporary retail markets at various parts of the city.
Since then the Central market of Bokaro Thermal and Kathara chock have been attracting a large number of traders and buyers. Complaints abound on lack of personal distancing by traders and customers at the market.
Most of the traders and buyers do not wear face masks. Some who do are often found to be wearing them improperly and leave the masks hanging around their necks only to be lifted up on sighting officials or police.
“The situation is very bad. There is hardly any social distancing here. The retail markets seem to be better; but the vegetable market seem to be emerging as a potential hotspot for spreading the corona virus,” said an employee of DVC, BokaroThermal and a resident of the locality.
Some local residents of GM colony said that a large number of dumpers and vans are being parked along the road making the entire stretch highly congested at the residential colony.
“I was shocked to find hectic traffic and a traffic jam on the Jharkhand chock to station road. Not many were wearing face masks. It was a very pathetic situation and makes all talk of maintaining social distance a big joke,” observed , a M.K. Chaudhary a colony resident.
Attributing the crowd to a large number of small vegitables traders coming in cycles from nearby villages to sells their vegetables at reliable prices here, locals suggests that the market be spread out further along the football ground decongest it.
“Alternatively, the DVC or local police authorities can reopen the Central market allowing only small shops with necessary restrictions and enforcement of personal distancing norms,” they said.