• Only wholesale vegetable, fruit outlets open at APMC Yard
• Daily from 6 am to 10 am; on Monday & Thursday from 6 am to 12 noon

Mysore/Mysuru: Just when Mysuru District Administration was hoping that the worst was over and the number of Coronavirus cases would witness a downslide, vegetable markets are emerging as super-spreaders of COVID-19. Stung by this development, it has closed all vegetable markets till June 7.  In an order issued last evening, Mysuru City Corporation Commissioner Shilpa Nag has stated that on account of rising COVID caseload, vegetable market on M.G. Road, wholesale vegetable market at Dasara Expo Grounds and retail vegetable market at Lalitha Mahal Grounds will be shut down for a week from June 1 to 7.

Following the order, the usually buzzing M.G. Road Market wore a desolate look this morning and surprisingly it sported a spic and span look. Barricades were installed near Expo parking lot entrance to prevent vendors from crowding and setting up shops. 

Shilpa Nag said that the three vegetable markets have been shut as a precautionary and safety measure to break the COVID-19 chain. 

Observing that the gathering of large crowds at the markets has led to the increase in COVID cases, she said that the shutting down of the markets was inevitable as these had turned out to be hotspots for virus spread.

Wholesale vegetable and fruit at APMC 

However, for the convenience of wholesale vegetable and fruit purchasers, arrangements have been made at APMC market daily from 6 am to 10 am for wholesale purchase. On Monday and Thursday, the purchases will be allowed from 6 am to 12 noon. 

The produce can then be distributed in areas through push carts and other means. This decision has been taken as already all the grocery and grains shops in APMC are closed and there is a vast space for a vegetable market. 

Stating that the shutdown order was issued after holding discussions with City Police Commissioner Dr. Chandragupta, Shilpa Nag sought the co-operation of farmers and customers for complete shutdown of the vegetable markets taking into consideration public health, safety and well-being. As the vegetables and greens were being brought from villages, there was a threat of the virus being spread in villages also. 

Experiments failed

The expansive locations that houses hundreds of shops and make-shift tents see thousands of people coming to buy vegetables and fruits through the lockdown period.

The District Administration and the MCC tried out various methods to prevent crowding including night shopping from 5.30 pm to 1 am. None of these measures ensured social distancing and violations of protocols continued. 

Initially, vegetable markets at M.G. Road, Dasara Grounds and Lalitha Mahal were allowed to remain open. However, it has been noticed that despite repeated appeals, social distancing is not followed by customers while buying vegetables. With the number of Coronavirus cases rising every day, the Civic Body has decided to impose more restrictions to contain the spread of the disease, an officer from the MCC told Star of Mysore.

It may be recalled here that as the relaxation was opened from 6 am to 12 noon yesterday, all hell broke loose as thousands of people drove to the markets and the Central Business District making a mockery of social distancing and other norms that health experts say one should follow during a pandemic. 

Photos of traffic snarls outside markets and in city thoroughfares and the uncontrollable crowd spoke for themselves, said the officer, making it inevitable for harsher measures.