Shops selling non-essential goods continue to violate norms

Nikhil Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, May 5

Despite complete restriction on the opening of shops selling non-essential goods, owners of such shops continue to sell goods by resorting to various tactics.

Even the presence of the police on city roads fails to deter such violators.

During a survey conducted in the city, it was noticed that although most of the shops selling non-essential goods were lying closed but shopkeepers or their employees could be seen roaming near the shops. Whenever any customer came, they quickly opened the shop and sold the goods to them.

At some shops, shopkeepers had also kept their employees inside the shops. Whenever any customer came, the owner standing outside the shop took order from them and asked his employee to pack the order. He handed over the same to the customer by quickly opening the shop’s shutter.

Some shopkeepers have also pasted their phone numbers outside their shops and any customer can call on these numbers. Goods are either being delivered to the customers at home or they can collect them from outside the shop.

Even the liquor vends, which have been allowed to open till 5 pm, could be seen selling booze after that. Employees of vends remain inside the shop even after 5 pm and they deliver liquor to booze lovers through a small hole in the shutter. As per the rule, no employee can stay inside the shops during the lockdown period.

As per the government orders, the shops selling essentials can remain open till 5 pm on all days, except for weekends. All other shops, however, must remain closed under the Punjab government’s orders until May 15. All non-essential shops and shops selling liquor, groceries and hardware must remain closed from 6 pm on Friday to 5 am on Monday.

Owners, staff roam near shops

During a survey conducted in the city, it was noticed that though most of the shops selling non-essential goods were lying closed but shopkeepers or their employees could be seen roaming near the shops.

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