Traders hit the streets with begging bowls to protest Kerala govt’s ‘arbitrary’ lockdown guidelines

By Express News Service
KASARAGOD: Hundreds of merchants from Badiadka, a small city in Kasaragod district, hit the streets with begging bowls to protest in opposition to the federal government’s alleged arbitrary lockdown guidelines which saved their retailers shut for 3 weeks.

The city has round 350 retailers, of which solely round 12 —  together with three supermarkets, which promote meals provisions, greens, bakery gadgets, and milk — are allowed to open. Other merchants even have households to feed, mentioned Kunjar Mohammed, president of Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi’s Badiadka unit.

The authorities is implementing a panchayat-wise lockdown within the state solely based mostly on the take a look at positivity fee (TPR), which is the variety of Covid constructive circumstances in 100 assessments.

But in lots of panchayats, the assessments are woefully low or carried out amongst major and secondary contacts, which throw up the next TPR.

ALSO READ | Cap on entry at weddings however not Bevco retailers: Struggling caterers vent ire over Kerala’s unlock

Several docs mentioned they didn’t agree with TPR getting used as the only real yardstick to lock down a panchayat.

Vorkady panchayat had a take a look at positivity fee of 66.67% as a result of two of the three samples examined had been constructive.

In Badiadka, the TPR was 17.23% within the seven days ended July 6 and so a triple lockdown was imposed for one week. “But the decision was taken based on tests conducted on 383 samples in one week. The panchayat has 30,000 people,” mentioned Mohammed.

The merchants mentioned the panchayat and Health Department aren’t heeding their demand to extend testing. On Monday (July 12), 317 samples had been examined, of which 62 had been constructive, holding the take a look at positivity fee at 19.6%. Before that, for 2 weeks, the retailers had been allowed to open solely on Fridays. “Buses are jam-packed. So are the queues in front of liquor shops and vaccination centres. But only shops have to remain shut,” he mentioned.

Mohammed mentioned ward 14 reported the next variety of circumstances. “The government could have cordoned off the ward instead of imposing a lockdown in the entire panchayat with total disregard for lives and livelihoods,” he mentioned.

The Kerala authorities revised the categorisation final week.

ALSO READ | Kerala eases lockdown curbs: Shop timings prolonged, weekend lockdown to proceed

A TPR under 5% is taken into account low and labeled as A; from 5% to 10% is taken into account reasonable and labeled as B; from 10% to fifteen% is taken into account excessive and labeled as excessive; and a TPR above 15% is classed as D and regarded crucial and a triple lockdown is imposed.

Ajanur, a panchayat abutting Kanhangad municipality, has a TPR of 31.6% as a result of 25 of the 79 samples examined had been constructive.

Delampady has a TPR Of 60% as a result of 12 of the 20 samples examined constructive. Kallar has a take a look at positivity fee of 43.8% based mostly on 64 assessments.

The TPR in Meenja is 20% as a result of one in 5 samples examined constructive. “The government is relying on such a low number of tests to come up with such big lockdown rules. We are against that. That’s why we had to come out with begging bowls,” mentioned the dealer.

ALSO WATCH | Fuel Hike: Petrol costs cross Rs 107 in Mumbai, Rs 109 in Bhopal