Chandigarh, Aug 25 (PTI) Shopkeepers and traders in the five worst-affected districts of Punjab due to coronavirus have slammed the state government for allowing only 50 per cent shops dealing in non-essential items, saying their business would be further hit.

On August 20, the state government had directed deputy commissioners of Amritsar, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Patiala and Mohali districts, to allow only 50 per cent of the non-essential shops to open on a daily basis.

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Hitting out at the decision, the shopkeepers in these districts sought to know why they were being “targeted” when restaurants, hotels and liquor vends had been allowed to run their operations fully, amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“We have already suffered a setback because of the lockdown. Now when things are looking up, only 50 per cent shops of non-essential commodities are being allowed to run,” Sameer Jain, general secretary, Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal, said on Tuesday.

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The shopkeepers are also upset as their shops remain closed even on weekends owing to the weekend lockdown in the state.

“Effectively, we can open our shops only for less than three days in a week,” a Jalandhar-based shopkeeper dealing in electronic goods said.

The Punjab government had also announced to extend the weekend lockdown and night curfew by two hours from 7 pm till 5 am in all cities and towns in the wake of rising coronavirus cases.

Traders and market associations have been asked to open shops in all markets in a staggered way. However, shops dealing in essential items like medicines, milk and food, can remain open on all days.

“Why only 50 per cent shops dealing in non-essential goods are allowed to run their operations when all restaurants, hotels and liquor vends can remain open? There is no justification for that. The entire business circle will get hampered and it will take time to get back on track,” Jain said.

“Most of the shops follow the coronavirus guidelines,” he added.

Sunil Mehra, another trader in Ludhiana, questioned how industries could sell products when the shops are open for a limited period. He added that the state government should have consulted them before taking such decisions.

The traders in the five districts also rued that it would be difficult for them to bear fixed expenditure related to salaries, electricity and rent.

“Already, there is no business. How can we meet our expenses?” Mehra said, adding that it would lead to unemployment.

Meanwhile, some market associations held protests against the decision of the government and sought its rollback.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)