About a quarter of Koyambedu’s 2,000 stores have been reopened
Chennai:
The Koyambedu vegetable wholesale market in Chennai, which was labeled a coronavirus hotspot in May, reopened today, but many do not appear to have learned any lessons from a pandemic that has infected more than 5.8 lakh people in Tamil Nadu alone.
Many people (mainly traders and workers) have been seen without face masks and not practicing social distancing – two rules oft-repeated for dealing with Covid.
Velayudham, who helps load the vegetables, is one of those without a face mask as he crawls between a store and a series of trucks loaded with produce.
At a few stores, another worker – Karunakaran – who works for a banana wholesaler – does not wear a face mask and does not practice social distancing. Her friends also seem carefree when they sit and chat together.
“We are not afraid of COVID 19. How can we make money if we are afraid? We had a hard time without pay for four months,” Karunakaran told GalacticGaming.
Overall, around 30% of people who have gathered to work in about a quarter of the 2,000 stores that have been reopened in Koyambedu appear to be in breach of Covid standards.
No less than 3,500 people contracted the virus in this market before it closed in April. Pre-Covid around a lakh used to visit every day.
“This is an area of high physical labor. People sweat a lot … they often take the mask off, wipe their face and wear it again. They also have a hard time wearing it. fresh air. We can’t help it, “Krishnamoorthy, the manager of a store, said.
About 30% of Koyambedu residents did not appear to follow Covid protocols
As Chennai seeks to unblock economic, business, social and other activities after months of strict lockdown, worried fingers are pointed at a daily spike in cases – new infections crossed 1,000 a day for a fifth consecutive day today. hui.
This is despite the city authorities imposing fines on those who break the rules.
“An element of casualness is there. So far 55,000 cases, including those related to institutions, have been registered and around 1 crore rupee in fines collected. The intention is to make them understand that they are not only exposing themselves to risks, but others as well, ”said Health Secretary Dr J Radhakrishnan.
The food grains section of the Koyambedu market was reopened on September 18. The vegetable section reopened today and the remaining sections, which include fruits and flowers, are expected to reopen shortly.
For hundreds of people, it is a renewal of their livelihoods after five months of uncertainty and fear.
However, many now fear that the lack of precautions could lead the market to become a Covid super spreader again, unless business and government act.
