Delhi: No masks, social distancing at Ghazipur market as people violate COVID-19 protocols

Covid-19 rules are being violated across the country and the Ghazipur vegetable market in Delhi is no different. Even though the daily COVID-19 cases are at an all-time low in the national capital, people are not taking the threat of the third wave seriously. A photograph that went viral on social media shows people at the Ghazipur market standing close to each other and without masks, reports ANI.

The COVID-19 rules are being violated at almost every major market in the city, due to which the authorities have started to shut down all the markets one by one. Delhi’s Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that the third wave could be more devastating and people must follow COVID-appropriate behaviour.

One of the shopkeepers at the Ghazipur market said that they always ask the customers to sanitise themselves and wear a mask before they ask for anything. He further said that during the pandemic, everyone needs to take care of themselves.

Delhi's strict action against closing the markets

Earlier this week, an order was issued by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority to shut down the Tilak Nagar market due to continuous violation of Covid protocols. It is being said that the market associations and the sellers were unable to impose strict rules for the customers and were unable to control the crowd. Therefore, the district administration ordered shutting down of the market to try to avoid a rise in cases across Delhi. The order also said that if any shopkeeper does not comply with the new order, then strict actions will be taken against the vendor under the Epidemic Act. Only shops that come under 'essential services' will be allowed to remain open.

On Friday, Delhi registered 58 new cases of COVID-19 and only one fatality from the virus was reported in the last 24 hours. The positivity rate stands at 0.09% as more than 67,000 tests were conducted. The number of active cases dropped to 573 from 586 a day before and currently, only 167 (down from 176 on Thursday) people are under home isolation in the national capital.

(With ANI inputs)