Prior to 7-day lockdown, mad rush in Kohima

Our Correspondent        

Kohima, July 24 (EMN): Ahead of the commencement of the seven-day total lockdown in Kohima beginning on Saturday, residents of the state capital thronged the markets from Friday morning disregarding social distancing norms.

The district task force for Covid-19 had on Wednesday, during its emergency meeting, taken the decision to impose total lockdown for seven days, with Covid-19 positive cases spiralling outside the quarantine centres.

However, despite a ban on mass gatherings, people were seen packed in the markets in Kohima to buy essential commodities before the commencement of the lockdown.

Long queues were witnessed outside grocery stores as people bought commodities for storage during the seven-day lockdown period and huge number of people was seen in meat, poultry, fish and vegetable shops.

The odd-even number traffic rule in place was also flouted resulting in traffic jams, while long queues were also seen outside ATM vestibules.

Meanwhile, later in the evening, most meat shops were shut and fish and poultry shops emptied along with vegetable and street vendors vacating their places to leave home.

However, vendors selling perishable items like fruits were observed selling at reduced prices. One fruit vendor told Eastern Mirror that earlier he was selling a kilo of mangoes at INR 130, but he was now selling two kilos at INR 150; stating that they would be rot during the seven-day lockdown.

DC exempts

Meanwhile, the deputy commissioner and chairman of district task force Kohima, Gregory Thejawelie on Friday, in continuation of its order issued on July 23, had exempted the department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services, and staff of the Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench from the purview of the total lockdown restrictions.