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The retail vegetables and fruits shopkeepers of the Koyambedu market staged a protest on Friday against restriction imposed by the Tamil Nadu government on Thursday in view of COVID-19.
Due to the surge in COVID-19 cases in Chennai, the state government released an order stating that the retail outlets in Koyambedu wholesale vegetable and fruit market in Chennai and whole vegetable and fruit markets in other parts of the state will not function from April 10. There are 200 retail shops in the Koyambedu market and thousands of workers are depending on the market for livelihood. Retail shopkeepers are demanding to take back the order of closing of the shops from April 10. Speaking to ANI, a retail vegetable seller, Vadivel in Koyambedu said, "It is a dangerous order that has been passed by the state government on the closing of retail shops in Koyambedu. Already we were affected for eight months without a job and took loans for running shops. And now, the state government has called for the closure of shops stating corona again." "After lockdown, our sales have decreased to 30 per cent. If the order is not taken back there is no other way for us but to suicide," he added. "This announcement will not only affect us but it will also the farmers and the public as the closure of the shops will create instability in rate fixtures," said another retail seller. "We will make sure to follow the SOPs and government guidelines. We also worked during the pandemic and we are also among the front line warriors who made sure of supplying vegetables to people," he added. (ANI)
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