The civic chief visited all five markets – onion & potatoes, vegetable, fruits, spices and grains.
Vashi / Navi Mumbai: Considering the increasing number of covid-19 cases in the city, the commissioner of Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC), Abhijit Bangar, surprised the traders of the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC), Vashi market, on Tuesday, 2 March, 2021. The civic chief wanted to pass on the message that the corporation was not taking it lightly and that protocols had to be followed without fail. The APMC markets have been hot spots for the spread of covid-19 owing to the huge footfall.
During the visit, Bangar inspected all the five markets – onion & potatoes, vegetable, fruits, spices and grains and interacted with traders and visitors alike.
The APMC markets that run through the day, late into the night and see a huge number of traders, farmers and local buyers. They have an estimated daily footfall of over 50,000 and hence have a high possibility of getting converted into another covid-19 hotspot.
Officials informed that there had been many instances where people were not wearing their masks in the right manner, and social distancing was also being given a miss.
The civic chief’s visit revealed the fact that there was rampant use of plastic bags, despite a ban on their use.
Bangar, was seemingly upset over the lack of action taken by the civic administrative officers. He has called for an immediate meeting with the board of directors to have further discussions and take preventive measures.
He also hinted at a possible lockdown, given the callousness of the administrative officers and the irresponsible behaviour of the people in general.
