Fish markets violate VMC orders, open on Sunday

Vijayawada: Municipal corporation authorities took action against the fish markets for opening the shops on Sunday and collected penalty of Rs7000. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the VMC earlier issued instructions for the closure of fish markets on Sunday. However, some fish markets were opened on Sunday and the traders were doing the business violating the norms.

Under the supervision of veterinary assistant surgeon Dr Ravi Chand, the VMC staff conducted raids on fish markets in different parts of the city and levied penalty. Ravi Chand in a press release said Rs7000 penalty levied on the traders for opening the shops. He said the chicken and mutton shops can open the shops from 6 am to11 am and once again appealed to the traders to follow the Covid guidelines.

He said wearing of mask and maintaining physical distance is must at the shops and public places. He warned stern action will be taken against the traders, if they open the shops on Sundays. He informed four Covid-19 enforcement teams were constituted in the city and they collected penalty of Rs100 from the people for not wearing masks in the public places. He said till now Rs5,07,700 collected in the form of penalty from the people.

Keeping in view of the instructions given by the VMC many mutton and chicken traders closed the shops by 11 am in many parts of the city. Fish traders are selling fish on the roadside in many places of the city causing risk of spreading deceases. Moreover, the nearby areas also became very dirty as waste materials were thrown on the roads and dumped in the side drains resulting in stagnation of drain water.