With the driver of a lorry that brought eggs from Namakkal to Koothattukulam testing positive for COVID-19, there is considerable anxiety among stakeholders regarding the safety of customers and traders.
The driver from Namakkal, now under treatment at a government hospital in the town, tested positive for COVID-19 on May 3. He was in the Koothattukulam market only for a brief time but a couple of people, who came in contact with him, have been asked to go into self-quarantine.
The district administration in Ernakulam is keeping a close watch on the activities in the Ernakulam main market, where about 10 lorries arrive with vegetables and fruits daily. These include lorries from Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Market Stall Owners’ Association president N.H. Shameed said that the lorries were being handled strictly in keeping with the protocol prescribed by the health authorities.
There is also strict vigil over the activities in the Aluva market, which is one of the key focus areas for the health authorities. Timmy Teacher, Health Standing Committee chairperson of the Aluva municipality, said on Wednesday that unloading operations and entry of heavy vehicles into the market area had been restricted to 6 a.m. “All unloading and stocking operations are completed by 6 a.m. After that, only small vehicles are allowed.”
V. Chandran, member of the municipal council and chairman of the Welfare Standing Committee, said that stakeholders were involved in ensuring the protocol. He said that about 10 lorries arrived in the early hours of the day at the market. “They are unloaded and the area is cleared within the specified time with the cooperation of traders and workers. Use of masks is compulsory. Hand sanitiser has been made available and drivers and crew of lorries are not allowed to mingle with people in the market.”
In the meanwhile, there is some alarm at the Vazhakkulam pineapple market after the Koothattukulam report. However, Joe Joseph, a pineapple merchant, said that the operations had been streamlined at the market. Steps like sanitisation of all vehicles entering the market place, ensuring protocol for lorry drivers, crew and market workers were being strictly followed. Face masks were compulsory at all times. Fruit-loading operation timings had been restricted and most often, pineapple consignments were not brought to the market but directly shipped from the orchards, he said.
