Diwali Shopping: Social Distancing Goes For A Toss

With Diwali just days away, New Delhi’s markets are witnessing a surge in shoppers.

Although social distancing is not at all being followed inside the market premises, continuous announcements are being done asking people to keep wearing the masks and follow social distancing.

Omdutt Sharma, Volunteer market president, Sarojini Nagar market told ANI, “The market has opened. We are making regular announcements to follow COVID appropriate behaviour. However, shoppers have to behave responsibly. We are strictly monitoring the crowds with volunteers asking people to keep wearing masks. We hope people will abide by it.”

Several businessmen, vendors that ANI spoke to said they are doing good business this year but it could never reach the scale of pre coronavirus days.

Vinod Monga a shop vendor who is running a shop in Karol Bagh for fifty years said “People are in the festive mood and avoiding wearing a mask because they feel everything is fine around.”

Adding to this, Monga said however the situation is better because 100 crore vaccination has been done.

Speaking further, the shopkeeper requested visitors to take care of their old age parents and ask them to stay home.

“I want to request all the visitors, please ask your old age parents to stay at home. The situation is not good for them,” he added.

Pankaj a visitor also said “during the second wave we have faced a lot of difficulties. Children and parents should avoid visiting these crowded places.”

According to the ministry, India reports 12,830 new COVID-19 cases, 14,667 recoveries and 446 deaths in the last 24 hours as per the Union Health Ministry.

Total recoveries figures reaches 3,36,55,842 with death toll reaching 4,58,186 and total vaccination scores to 1,06,14,40,335. (ANI)