Toeing the orders issued in Mumbai, Nagpur Municipal Commissioner Radhakrishnan B has issued notification on May 26. As per the notification “shops and units related to sale/repair of umbrellas, plastic sheets, tarpaulins or raincoats etc” have been included in the list of Essential Services and will remain open from 7 am to 11 am.
The orders have been issued in Mumbai, because monsoon sets in early in that region. Nagpur or Vidarbha region has to wait till second week of June for beginning of the rainy season. Shops selling raincoats and umbrellas usually start bringing in new stock by the end of June in this region.
Nagpur civic authorities have not been using the discretionary powers vested in them. It has been often stated that decision pertaining to restrictions during the Covid19 pandemic can be taken depending upon local situation in the district. The local authorities can even talk of local situation and modify the rules. To quote an example dates of opening of schools are different in Vidarbha, Mumbai and Konkan regions. Same is the case for Diwali and Ganesh festival vacations.
Exclusive shops selling umbrella and raincoats are rare in this region. Plastic sheets and tarpaulin are usually available at hardware shops.
The decision by the State Government is related to facilitating agriculture operations, in view of coming monsoon season. The facilitation is possible if all related shops like hardware, agriculture related shops like seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, agricultural equipment shops and also service centres, electrician, mechanics, automobile sale and repair shops etc are allowed to function normally.
