Sitting amid the blackened remains of his home, 32-year-old Nikesh Gawali carefully broke open a half-melted plastic box with a screwdriver. His hands shook slightly, not out of fear, but out of hope. “I’m trying to find my daughter Aarti’s gold earrings,” he said quietly, still focused on the box. “She’s just five. I got them made recently after months of labour work.” The plastic box, warped and blackened by heat, was one of the few things left from his two-room house on the outskirts of Dhamangaon village . All around him lay ash, broken tin sheets and charred wooden beams. The walls had cracked under the heat and the front room’s tin roof had caved in completely. What remained was a blackened debris all around - almost nothing to suggest a home once stood there. Nikesh earns his living as an agricultural labourer, like many in the village. Work is uncertain and depends on the season. Those earrings weren’t just jewellery - they were a small dream, a reward for his hard work,...
CONCERNED by the regular breach of rules laid down by the administration to contain the spread of coronavirus in the city, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Zone II Vinita Sahu cracked a whip against the violators and conducted surprise checking at market places and shops on Tuesday night. Many shops were slapped with fines for not following lockdown guidelines issued by Nagpur Municipal Corporation and State Government.
As per the guidelines issued by NMC and State Government for the Unlock phase, all shops should close by 7 pm barring essential services. However, many shop owners are taking the guidelines casually and indulging in running their businesses late in the night. People are also least bothered about the safety measures and visit these shops without following rules of wearing face mask and maintaining social distance.
Acting on a tip-off, DCP Sahu launched the operation from Ambazari area and visited market places in Gokulpeth, Ram Nagar, Laxmi Bhuvan square. She also conducted inspection at Ramdaspeth, Mangalwari Bazar, Sitabuldi, Mankapur and Gittikhadan areas. NMC’s team was also called for issuing fine to the rule violators.
During the inspection, many shops were found flouting lockdown rules. The shops were open after 7 pm keeping social distancing norm aside.
The police also used Public Address (PA) system to sensitise people about rules announced by the NMC. Despite clear guidelines about health safety, some ‘smart’ citizens started arguing with the police over the action. The cops made them aware of the dangers of not following social distancing and wearing masks.
DCP Sahu told ‘The Hitavada’ that the inspection was the warning for lockdown violators. “Every shopkeeper must follow the norms and close their shops by 7 pm,” she said and warned of stern action for violation of rules. She also urged the people to cooperate with police and stop visiting shops after 7 pm.
“The rules are introduced only for the safety of the citizens and it is mandatory for people to follow it,” DCP Sahu appealed.
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