Nagpur: As Covid-19 infection has gained speed in the country with confirmed 2.98 million cases and 55,794 deaths, there are few who are neglecting the consequences of this disease. The family members of some positive patients who are undergoing home isolation are avoiding testing and continuing to run shops in order to meet their daily needs.
Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) zone offices are finding it difficult to inspect all patients and those coming in close contact with the infected after a steep rise in the coronavirus infections.
Sources revealed that three of five brothers who live with their family members in two adjacent buildings in Khamla run a wholesale shop at Cotton Market that is visited by nearly 200 retailers from all across the city.
Shortly after NMC made it compulsory for all shopkeepers to go through the Covid-19 test, two of the brothers got tested and were found positive on August 13. The duo settled in for home isolation.
The younger brother of the two positive patients did not get himself tested and continued to run his shop for a week. He later tested positive reported a shopkeeper in Khamla and Cotton Market.
The local sources revealed that the NMC team inspected their house on August 20 and found the younger brother was in shop.
Along with him, one of the two who had tested positive earlier was also present in the shop on August 20 claiming that he had tested negative from a private laboratory.
“The brothers got themselves tested again from a private laboratory at Pratap Nagar through Rapid Antigen test where one tested negative,” local shopkeepers said.
When enquired, one of the three positive patients denied being in the shop and said that his younger brother went to the shop only to bring some material for their home.
One of the members of another family running a kirana shop in Khamla too tested positive. Their shop is now being run by other members of the family.
Confirming such violations, president of Pujya Sindhi Panchayat Khamla, Narayan Ahuja, told sources, “NMC should ensure testing of all high-risk contacts and monitor them. Shopkeepers should realize their responsibility towards society and avoid such behaviour.”
Municipal commissioner Tukaram Mundhe claimed that FIR will be registered against such violators. “Covid-19 will spread further if such violations are going on,” he said.
NVCC president Ashwin Mehadia reported that he did not receive any such complaint. “We expect all shopkeepers and businessmen to comply with all guidelines of the Central government,” he said.
However, it is mandatory for all the shopkeepers along with their staff in the district to undergo COVID-19 test which is strongly being opposed. This step is taken only to ensure the health of the public and those coming in close contact with the infected patients.
