Azadpur Mandi traders want market shut for few days after man dies of COVID-19

By Joymala Bagchi
New Delhi [India], April 22 (ANI): Traders at Asia's biggest fruit and vegetable wholesale market, Azadpur Mandi, have requested the government to close it for some days as the market is being crowded and all precautions against coronavirus are being allegedly ignored.
Fear gripped in after reports of a vegetable seller dying of COVID-19 on Tuesday.
Many of the vegetable dealers have complained of irregular temperature screening and no proper sanitization.
Prabhu Shah, a potato and onion dealer, told ANI, "At night, this Mandi becomes overcrowded. Government should do something to regulate people coming here. Although permission was given for the main gate to remain open, however, people come in from here and there. If possible, this Mandi should be closed for few days for our good."
Chandan Kumar, 30, who is a helper at the vegetable market, asked the government to provide porr workers like him "at least with face masks", adding that there was neither proper sanitization nor regular temperature screening at the mandi.
Entire Azadpur Mandi that sees footfall in thousands each day remained completely closed only on March 22, when India observed Janata Curfew.
Sanjay Bhagat, 50, said, "Only if we live today we can think of earning money tomorrow. I know our income is going to suffer like anything and the deficit is going to remain for long, but it is like putting all of our lives at risk. Atleast for few days this Mandi should be completely closed. We are ready to face the trouble, but life is much more important."
A team has been deployed to trace and monitor people who had come in contact with the person who died on Tuesday
With 1,486 new cases and 49 deaths in the last 24 hours, India's total number of coronavirus positive cases have risen to 20,471 while the death toll stands at 652 on Wednesday, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said.
Out of the total number of cases, 15,859 are active cases, 3,959 cured or discharged and 652 deaths.
The country will be under extended lockdown till May 3. (ANI)