The confusion over lockdown guidelines among officers caused hardship to shopkeepers at the vegetable market in Hassan on Saturday.
The officers of Hassan City Municipal Council forced the shopkeepers to vacate the place around 8 a.m. arguing that they would not be allowed to do business on Saturdays, as weekend curfew was in place. With the help of policemen, the CMC officers vacated the market place and put barricades stopping the entry of the public into the market. Even as some sellers argued that they were allowed to do business up to 10 a.m. even during the weekend as per the latest guidelines, they were not allowed.
The officers received instructions from their seniors that vegetable markets could remain open up to 10 a.m. on Saturdays as well. However, by then many farmers, who bring produces to sell in the market, had left the place. The public criticised the officers for confusion among themselves over the guidelines. “Let the officers know the guidelines properly, before implementing the lockdown effectively. Who will bear the loss that many sellers suffered on the day? The police action was also uncalled for”, commented B.R. Manjunath, a resident of K.R.Puram in the town.
