Delhi government shuts Nangloi and Punjabi Basti markets that had flouted Covid-19 protocols

The market areas in Delhi's Nangloi and Punjabi Basti have been sealed by authorities after it was found that the traders there were not following proper Covid protocols laid down by the government. The two markets have been sealed till November 30.

The action was taken on Sunday. "It has come to the notice of District Disaster Management Authority that the directives issued with regard to wearing of masks, maintaining physical distancing, etc., issued by the Govt of India/GNCT of Delhi are being flouted by the vendors/visitors in the Punjabi Basti Market and Janata Market, Nangloi, Delhi, despite various instructions issued by district administration time to time.

"Therefore, in overall public imminent interest, it is hereby ordered to close these markets till 30th November," ordered Dharmendra Kumar, Additional District Magistrate (ADM), West District.

November is turning out to be the most precarious month for the national capital in managing the Covid-19 pandemic. The cases in Delhi have surged in their third and the deadliest wave so far, with the positivity rate (the number of those infected as a percentage of those tested) spiking to 15 per cent.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been on an overdrive to bring the raging coronavirus figures under control. The government is taking aggressive measures to ensure social distancing and following up of proper Covid protocols by the people in the public spaces.

Recently, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) approved the request by the Delhi government of cutting down the ceiling of maximum number of guests in weddings from earlier 200 to 50. The government had sought tighter curbs on weddings in the city and asked the Centre for approval to lockdown the market places if they were turning into hotspots.

Over the past few days, around 700 beds have been added in the Delhi government hospitals and around 80 per cent beds have been asked to be reserved especially for the treatment of the coronavirus patients in various government and private hospitals across the national capital.

Kejriwal has also been interacting with various religious heads, social influencers, leaders of various political parties and urging them to ensure their volunteers and workers hit the streets distributing masks, sanitisers and other protective gear for people who are unable to afford such materials.

The story has been taken from a news agency