Begin typing your search above and press return to search.

COVID: Cong urges Govt to take proactive steps

By Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, June 18 - Opposition Congress party has expressed concern at the growing number of COVID-19 cases in Assam and called upon the State government to take some proactive measures to tackle the problem.

�The situation particularly in Guwahati has been turning grim. Due to suspected community transmission of novel coronavirus in Guwahati, panic has gripped the city dwellers,� said Gauravv Somani, spokesperson of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC).

He said that sensing the gravity of the situation many trade organisations of the city have decided to limit the business hours as a precautionary measure.

�Various trade organisations, including the Kamrup Chamber of Commerce, the Sanitary and Hardware Merchants� Association, and Motor Parts Traders� Association have called for �vyapar bandh� after 5 pm. These organisations have decided to close all the shops after 5 pm. While some organisations have favoured the deadline as 6 pm, some other bodies are of the view of closing the shops and business establishments by 2 pm. In this situation, shops in many areas in Guwahati have announced 10 days� shutdown. Some traders have willingly announced the shutdown of their market complexes. It has created confusion among the common citizens,� said the APCC spokesperson. Somani alleged that the situation in Guwahati has gone out of control, adding that the State government and the administration have �been playing their roles as mute spectators�.

Lambasting the role of the State government, the Congress leader said, �The government should stop playing hide-and-seek and must pay heed to the problems of the public.� He also called upon the government to formulate common guidelines with a uniformity of business hours for the shops across Assam.

Somani also demanded tax concessions for the business community and an economic stimulus for the business and trade houses of Assam to tide over the present crisis.

Next Story