FJCCI allows businesses to go for ‘self-imposed lockdown’

Ranchi: The Federation of Jharkhand Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FJCCI) has allowed its affiliated associations to keep their respective businesses shut for a few days to contain the virus spread.

FJCCI

and its affiliated organisations recently held a meeting to discuss measures to break the transmission chain where it was decided that businesses can go for a “self-imposed mini-lockdown”.

FJCCI president Pravin Jain Chhabra said, “During the meeting, we gave a free hand to the associations representing different sectors of the economy for imposing restrictions for a few days and some of them are even considering going for it. Even small efforts to break the virus chain are welcome.”

Perhaps taking note of the trade body’s suggestion, a sweet shop owner on Friday pasted a notice on his shop in Argora stating that his establishment will remain shut for 20 days in view of the spike in cases. Similarly, one Chandra Prakash, who owns an optical shop at Hazaribag Road in Ranchi, closed his establishment on Friday for an indefinite period. He said, “Given the rise in cases and the fact that there are no beds available in hospitals, it’s better to down shutters as that will reduce the risk of me and the customers contracting the disease.”

Meanwhile, Chhabra said that the trade body has undertaken several measures, like initiating a ‘no-mask no entry’ campaign in market places, to contain the spread. “We have also started distributing masks and food packets in some areas,” he added.

The trade body, along with the Marwari Sahayak Samiti (MSS), has also started distributing oxygen cylinders to patients. The initiative has been taken by MSS and the FJCCI members are making monetary contributions to it after it came to the fore recently that oxygen cylinders are unavailable.

FJCCI has expressed its dissatisfaction over the shortage of beds and ventilators in hospitals, saying that the government’s priority should be to ensure basic infrastructural facilities.