Lockdown in Tamil Nadu: Merchants’ body seeks further relaxations

MADURAI: Thanking the state government for announcing relaxations in a phased manner after the stringent

lockdown

, members of the Tamilnadu Foodgrains Merchants Association Limited have urged chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami to announce further relaxations for betterment of trade.

Association members met the CM in Madurai on Monday night. The CM was in Madurai en route to Ramanathapuram. They said

unlock

had helped 75% of business activities revive. Further relaxations would help businesses bounce back to 100%, they said.

Their suggestions included resuming road transport to neighbouring states like Kerala and Karnataka.

They also sought allowing public road transport till 10pm so that traders and business travellers can return home the same day. They also sought allowing hotels and commercial establishments to remain open till 10pm.

The association sought resumption of wholesale vegetable and fruit markets that were shifted to the outskirts of cities when the Covid-19 pandemic was at its peak. The temporary markets have caused inconvenience to traders and the public due to rain.

They urged the government to allow them to resume operations at their original markets by following social distancing and other practices to prevent spread of the virus.

The CM assured the traders body that the government would consider their demands after consulting with experts and come out with a solution.