Curfew in Hyd further diluted
Despite appeals, public violates lockdown norms
Appeals made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister K . Chandrashekar Rao did not have any impact on several Hyderabadis. Ignorant of the possibility that local transmission of Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) had started and with the country entering stage 3 of the crisis, people queued up at supermarkets and wayside shops to buy mangoes, pots, neem leafs, flowers, apart from groceries giving a toss to social distancing and basic preventive gear.
However, by afternoon, even by-lanes wore a deserted look after police intervention. Few volunteers helped police at some check posts. They explained about the-ill effects of stepping out till the Corona crisis period and the lockdown is revoked.
While Chief Minister Chandrashekar Rao appealed that only one member per family was allowed to purchase groceries, people have been thronging to wayside shops and supermarkets with their children.
Busy by-lanes had a festal look, with people looking to buy goods necessary to celebrate Ugadi, the Telugu New Year. People gathered in hundreds at local markets in several areas to purchase vegetables, meat and chicken to celebrate Ugadi.
In areas like RTC X Roads and Husbiguda, even sweet shops were open. A sweet shop owner in Musheerabad said, “we have already prepared sweets for a week prior to Janata Curfew. We have already suffered a huge loss. Thank God, everything was sold out by 9 am today because of Ugadi.”
People took police, who were deployed in small numbers, to task at vegetable markets. There were stray reports of citizens having roughed up police, among others, at the Ramnagar vegetable market.
An over enthusiastic tiffin centre owner near the Musheerabad X-roads operated till afternoon in the name of service.
Though he was selling food, he claimed, “how would people eat if everyone is closed. God will not forgive us if we do not serve hungry people.”
However, by afternoon even by-lanes were empty. People cursed the police for closing their shops.
“How would we earn if police devils shut our shops. I have only 5 kg pickle left to be sold. I will earn about `1,500 if my shop is open till afternoon. I demand the government to save us from police brutality,” said a pickle shop owner in Chilkalguda.
Citing demand, black marketers spread their wing, despite Mr Rao’s warning to book them under the Preventive Detention Act.
The price of daily commodities saw a hike. Onions were sold for `40 per kg, which was `30 yesterday. Chillies were sold for `160 while it was only `80 yesterday. Tobacco products like cigarettes were sold for `200 per pack of 10 and further higher.