Dimapur, June 2 (MExN): The Confederation of Nagaland Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CNCCI) on Wednesday called attention to various challenges faced by the business community across the state, particularly those involved in ensuring availability of essential commodities during the lockdown period.
In a press release issued through its media affairs cell, the organisation stated that the state government’s decision to go for statewide lockdown has no doubt flattened the curve of infections in the state. However, it said that the lockdown was imposed haphazardly “without working out details,” and highlighted various problems faced by the businesses that were exempted from lockdown restrictions.
It said that despite the exemptions, essential service providers and vehicles on essential duty face harassment from law enforcing agencies and volunteers. “The CNCCI immediately demand that the state government intervene and stop all forms of harassment across the state,” the release stated.
The organisation also stated that the imposition of Odd and Even traffic system in Dimapur on essentials service vehicle and imposing fine on those vehicles was “totally uncalled for as it is time to jointly fight the pandemic rather than collect fines and harass the essential service providers, who are on the ground braving the pandemic to feed the public.” In this regard, it requested the law enforcing agencies to “immediately stop harassing and do away with odd-even system and imposition of fine on essential duty vehicles.”
“The CNCCI would have no choice but direct the DCCI and its affiliated business bodies to stop essential service if the system is not done away with immediate effect,” it added.
Meanwhile, the organisation stated that the government’s exemption of construction and development activities from the purview of the lockdown was well intended. However, it said that the government failed to address the support system that would keep the construction activities afloat. “The closing down of hardware shops, garages, spare parts shops etc., has made the exemption a mockery,” it said while demanding that businesses in the aforementioned categories should also be allowed to open immediately so that the construction activities can resume.
It also suggested that in Dimapur, such establishments under Dimapur Municipal Council areas should be allowed to open on odd and even system and the stretch from Purana Bazar to Chümoukedima “should be allowed to open like normal days as the shops located on this stretch are far apart from each other and has enough space to maintain SOPs.”
Further, the CNCCI appealed the state government to immediately act upon the suggestions with outmost seriousness and urgency.
