India News | Scrap GRAP for Covid, Demands Traders' Body in Delhi

New Delhi, Feb 15 (PTI) A traders' body in Delhi on Tuesday demanded scrapping of the DDMA's graded response action plan (GRAP) for Covid management ahead of the panel's proposed meeting later this week to discuss further relaxations amid a significant improvement in the pandemic situation here.

The GRAP devised by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority came into force in August last year, stipulating measures to be taken by the government as per positivity rate and bed occupancy for locking and unlocking of various activities.

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The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI), an association of traders in Delhi, has demanded that the DDMA should scrap the GRAP, saying unless it goes, "the sword of restrictions" will keep on hanging over their heads.

CTI Chairman Brijesh Goel said Covid cases and Omicron are decreasing in the national capital and a letter has been written to the DDMA to scrap GRAP.

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Officials said a meeting of the DDMA, that is chaired by the Lt Governor, is expected to be held in coming days although a date is yet to be finalised.

The demands for further relaxations like lifting night curfew, permitting weekly markets in all municipal zones, and allowing visitors in religious temples, have been raised by several quarters, including the traders and political parties.

The DDMA, in its meeting on February 4, extended the imposition of night curfew from 11 PM, instead of 10 PM, to 5 AM.

Several restrictions like permitting only one weekly market in a municipal zone, no standing passengers allowed in buses and metro trains, 50 percent cap on seating capacity in restaurants, bars and cinemas and no activity except weddings in banquet halls are yet to be relaxed as the Covid situation improves in Delhi.

(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)