Farmers Movement Archive

‘Odd-even formula’ in Maqsudan vegetable market from tomorrow

Jalandhar, April 25 Gearing up for decongesting the Maqsoodan fruit and vegetable market, the district administration was all set to implement the ‘odd-even’ formula for vegetable vendors from Monday. The Jalandhar civil and police administrations, led by Deputy Commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma and Commissioner of Police Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, have already chalked out a detailed strategy to implement the formula. One of the arhtiyas at the mandi, Rishi Chawla, welcomed the initiative of the administration and said it would help control the gathering at the mandi. “To contain the spread of Covid-19, it is required that we implement such rules and regulations that limit the number of people at one place,” he said, adding that along with the odd-even scheme, sanitation of the mandi at least twice or thrice a week must be ensured. He said at present, only the screening of vendors entering mandi was being done while disinfectant had not been sprayed even once there. “In the Amirtsar mandi, a disinfectant tunnel has been set up and all those entering it has to pass through the tunnel. The district administration must spare a thought about any such initiative too,” he said. Meanwhile, the Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police and the SDM, who finalised the scheme, said the purpose was to decongest the wholesale fruit and vegetable mandi to reduce the risk of spreading the virus. They said at present, 2,000 vendors come to the mandi daily for getting fruits and vegetables to be supplied on the doorstep of people. However, both officers said instead of 2,000 vendors, only 1,000 would be allowed to come to mandis everyday. They said all 2,000 vendors were being issued fresh passes by the Mandi Board. As many as 1,000 vendors were being issued red passes through which they would be entitled to visit the mandi on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. They said the remaining 1,000 were being issued green passes through which they could visit the market on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. They said only the pass holders would be allowed entry in the mandi and no other person accompanying the vendor would be allowed. They said besides the odd-even formula, social distancing and segregation would be ensured, flocking would be stopped and access control would be made.

The Tribune

2020-04-26