In the last couple of days, a few street vendors are seen selling flowers in different parts of the city though the flower market is closed because of the lockdown.
According to one of the vendors, the market is closed and officials do not allow them to buy from the market or sell flowers on the roadsides. But, it is their livelihood and it is affected.
A source in the market said that the city continued to receive flowers from Mettupalayam, Karamadai, Sathyamangalam and Salem. But most of the sales in the city is unauthorised. “Some unauthorised traders bring the flowers in trucks, stop the vehicles in different places and sell the flowers. This is also leading to mistrust between the farmers and the regular traders,” the source said.
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“The farmers feel we (regular traders) are not taking enough steps to continue sales. We do not know if they will supply flowers to us after the lockdown is lifted,” the source said.
The market has about 150 shops and the shop owners plan to meet Collector K. Rajamani on Monday to seek alternative arrangements. “We are clueless on how we can continue sales. Probably if we are given a larger premises temporarily, we can maintain personal distancing,” the source said.