Dimapur New Market business community restless

A section of the business community converges at New Market, Dimapur on June 2. (Morung Photo)

A section of the business community converges at New Market, Dimapur on June 2. (Morung Photo)

Appeals State Government for market relaxation

 

Morung Express News
Dimapur | June 2


As lockdown restrictions, imposed to limit the spread of COVID-19, are being loosened, the business community in New Market, Dimapur, feel they have been overlooked in the government's determination to kick-start the economy.


The shops in New Market area which has remained closed for the last 72 days are among those that are yet to return to any sort of normal operations and for those whose livelihoods depend on these businesses, the matter of sustenance has become a major concern. 


Unable to wait for the government to make announcements on when they too can start reopening, on Tuesday morning, hundreds of business owners and employees converged at the Market to reopen their shops despite government order to remain shut.


“For us, the issue bigger than COVID-19 is our survival now since we have run out of money with business being shut for more than two months,” one of the businessmen told The Morung Express. 


Addressing media persons at the market, GB of New Market Ward no 19, Khekishe Aye put across that the concerns of the business community of New Market who have been diligently following government orders to down their shutters, should be looked into with seriousness.


“All perishable goods have rotted and innumerable goods have expired while rats have certainly gnarled almost all goods and articles including footwear, bags and clothes. Miscreants have also broken into shops and looted the goods during this lockdown period. Although we are yet to assess the total amount of losses, it will come up to lakhs of rupees,” said Khekishe.


“However, we still respect government order and we have pacified the businessmen not to open shops and wait for government’s positive decision,” the GB told media persons.


He also pointed out that while almost all the markets, including those earlier declared as containment zones, are now functioning, New Market and a few other markets are still yet to open.


Similarly, a shopkeeper lamented that New Market was being treated ‘as if the disease originated from the Market’ while previously sealed areas are now teeming with people and vehicles. “We are even willing to disallow entry of vehicles in the market if shops are allowed to open,” he said.


Even if the market cannot fully open, GB Khekishe said that the business community expressed willingness to reopen on a smaller scale with strict COVID safety regulations. “Once the market is allowed to function, we will ensure that strict social distancing, availability of hand sanitizers, wearing gloves and masks by the employees and all other protocols laid down by the government, are followed,” he assured.


We are also willing to set different timings for various categories of shops to function or even receptive to the idea of enforcing odd/even system of shop numbers to remain open on alternate days, he added. 


Meanwhile, Khekishe also rued that besides relief items distributed to the daily wage earners, not a single legislator including the constituency legislator has reached out to the business community in New Market despite the immense hardships they have been facing.
Having expressed their grievances and hardships, the business community under the leadership of the GB Khekishe has appealed the Chief Minister and Chief Secretary to look into the issue and allow relaxations for reopening of shops at New Market.


Meanwhile, they also appealed the Dimapur Chamber of Commerce & Industry, as the head organization of business community, to look into their plight.


The business community of New Market also wondered about the logic behind the district administration ordering total lockdown of Dimapur when there was not a single positive case of the current pandemic and then reopening of the city when positive cases started emerging.