Kerala has announced lockdown relaxations for three days from Sunday in view of Bakrid after the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan held discussions with the Kerala Vyapara Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi (KVVES) here on Friday. The relaxations were warmly reciprocated by the KVVES, which withdrew its open call for defiance of the ‘restrictive lockdown’ norms.

T Nazeeruddin, President, said the CM was conciliatory in his approach and had appreciated its concerns.

He told newspersons here that it does not want to precipitate matters anymore since the CM has said that he would consider lifting of the weekend lockdowns and would himself make a statement after consulting his Cabinet colleagues and top officials. KVVES will patiently wait for his announcement.

According to Nazeeruddin, the CM is also looking at the option of allowing all shops to open in the run-up to Bakrid. He has also agreed to consider the traders’ demand to extend the concessions for the longer term into the dream Onam season to allow retailers purvey their trade with all freedom.

Severe loss of business

The State government has currently restricted non-essential retail trade to alternate weekdays and allowed limited business to 8pm. The state-wide lockdown on weekends is over and above this which, according to the KVVES, has kept the retail shoppers away for a very long time.

The sector had remained closed since May 8, causing severe loss of business and lengthy workforce lay-offs. Family-run neighbourhood convenience stores are the worst hit. Most ran on credit extended to neighbours. When their debtors failed to pay, many such shops had no option but to down shutters

Matters had come to a head last week with traders warning that they would rebel against the government’s pandemic regulations. They dared the government to stop them from opening for business on all days from July 15.

Traders have argued that clamping down on shop timings limiting the number of business days would inevitably cause crowding and long lines outside shops. If allowed to open for business, they would adhere strictly to the Covid-19 protocol and ensure the mask mandate and physical distancing.

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