Pondy limps back to normalcy; traders keep fingers crossed

: The Union Territory, which

currently has three active cases of COVID-19, limped back to normalcy on Monday following easing of the lockdown.

However, confusion surfaced among the traders and merchants in busy shopping centres as to whether the business establishments could restart business.

A spokesman of the Federation of Traders of Union Territory of Puducherry told PTI that lack of clarity on the part of the government as to which shops would be permitted and would not has landed the businessmen in utter chaos.

He said the neighbouring Tamil Nadu government had come out with clear announcements leaving no space for uncertainty or confusion.

 

"Based on the general announcement, the territorial Chief Minister made Sunday shopowners at Jawaharlal Nehru Street, a shopping hub in the town, keeping their fingers crossed whether or notthey could re-open the establishments," he said.

The spokesman also pointed out that while businessmen attempted to restart activity on Nehru street some police personnel intervened and directed them not to open them. "Thus a difference of opinion has emerged between the businessmen and the authorities, which should be clarified by the government," he said.

He said there were standard operating procedures evolved by the Centre which should be followed while the Union Territory continued to have lockdown with restrictions being eased.

In the meanwhile, the opposition AIADMK legislator Vayyapuri Manikandan held talks with the merchants and traders on Nehru street in a bid to help them wriggle out of the chaos.

Liquor shops remained closed as the Chief Minister V Narayanasamy had at the end of his cabinet meeting on Sunday said no decision has been taken on the question of re-opening liquor shops.

He had said the government was watching the prevailing situation in other states on the question of resuming liquor business and would then take a decision.

Hotels resumed business although only takeaways were permitted. A section of jewellery shops and also tailor marts in some pockets and industries were among those which recommenced work in the wake of the announcement by the Chief Minister on Sunday.

Traffic resumed in most of the pockets and loading and unloading of commodities like rice was back to normal in the town.