Jharkhand: Lockdown violations a worry at Sonari area in Steel City

JAMSHEDPUR: Even after more than a month since the nationwide lockdown was enforced, the sector magistrate of Sonari area, Buddeshwar Tuddu, on Wednesday said he is yet to get a formal guideline from his seniors on the list of shops that can remain open. He added that he has been entrusted to only check if people are wearing masks.
“I am yet to get a formal guideline from my seniors on the list of shops which can be opened during lockdown.I am supposed to check for masks on people who enter the market in Sonari,” said Tuddu.
On Wednesday, the marketplace in Sonari could be seen crowded with people around 9am with only one policeman armed with a baton to manage the crowd of several thousands at the daily market at Pardesi Para. A TOI team could also see shops selling non-essentials like footwear, gift items and flowers among others open here.
Sonari police station in-charge Renu Gupta conceded that the people of the area do not adhere to the norms. “Sonari is considered to be a residential area of mostly educated people, but still some do not even maintain the basic norms of social distancing,” Gupta said. The district administration had shifted all vegetable and fish markets to the big grounds in the city so that it is easy to maintain social distancing.
Many nakas around the city could also be seen being lenient with the violators of the lockdown. Asked about it, a traffic cop at a naka on condition of anonymity said, “Jamshedpur has not reported any case of coronavirus, then why be strict?”