Despite repeated appeals by the district authorities and civil society organizations to strictly follow Covid-19 safety protocols, people continue to blatantly flout safety protocols by gathering in large numbers at wholesale and daily markets.
In a video that was being circulated on social media platforms on Saturday, showed people crowding the market and not maintaining social distancing norms.
The person recording the scene claimed that the incident was being recorded at a wholesale vegetable market on June 5 around 4.50 a.m.
Despite Covid-19 lockdown measures being implemented under the Disaster Management Act, people continue to throng the wholesale markets with scant regard to the Covid-19 safety protocols.
When the matter was flagged to the principal secretary Health & Family Welfare AS Bhatia, the latter said he had directed the District Task Force Dimapur to act on the matter and issue appropriate orders.
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It may be noted that Dimapur has been the most affected district, reporting highest new cases of Covid-19 including deaths. The virus appears to be at stage–3 or community transmission and overcrowded places especially closed surroundings giving vent to the uncontrollable spread.
As reported earlier, Dimapur Municipal Council (DMC) Albert Ezung had said that the wholesale markets were crowded because vegetables vendors, went to buy their stocks of essential commodities.
Ezung also said the lockdown has adversely affected daily wage earners who are facing several financial crisis due to stoppage of various construction or farming works etc. He said this has compelled many to switch to selling vegetables for their livelihood, resulting in markets being overcrowded.
Regardless of DMC urging retailers to procure essential commodities from their respective colonies, and not from the wholesale market, people still continue to flock at the wholesale markets.