After administration directive, confusion prevails over opening of shops in Jammu

Arteev Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 26

A day after the UT Administration decided to comply with the order of the MHA on the opening of shops in the neighbourhood and residential complexes, confusion continued to prevail on Sunday, with officials awaiting instructions to be notified by the District Magistrates (DMs) concerned.

‘No clarity’

There is still no clarity on the opening of shops. Local officials visited and asked us to close shops as no official order from the Jammu DM had been issued for the same as yet – Shopkeepers in Jammu villages

Reports from rural areas in different districts suggested that the local officials did not allow the opening of all shops, except those notified by the MHA, on the plea that they were yet to get directions from the DMs concerned.

In some areas, the officials forced the shopkeepers to close shops which were opened by them following the UT Administration’s directive.

On Saturday night, the UT Administration had decided to permit some categories of shops to open in J&K with the condition of ensuring physical distancing and local arrangements of timing.

“There is still no clarity on the opening of shops. The local officials visited and asked us to close shops as no official order from the Jammu DM had been issued for the same as yet,” said shopkeepers in several villages.

The decision of the administration to permit only home delivery of dry fruits (without opening of the shops) did not go well with the shopkeepers in Jammu who have requested the administration to allow the opening of shops.

“We have provided a list of over 60 dry fruit shops in Jammu city to the Deputy Commissioner with a request that we should be allowed to open the shops as home delivery of dry fruits is not possible for us due to the shortage of manpower,” a shopkeeper said.

Meanwhile, the Udhampur district administration has decided to open the stationary shops and book stores on alternate days — Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday — for specified set of wards.

“Grocery shops within the municipal limits will remain closed on these days to avoid crowding in markets,” Piyush Singla, District Magistrate, Udhampur, said, adding “These relaxation will not be applicable in four red zones of the district”.