Srinagar, Jul 19 (UNI) Despite Eid-ul-Adha less than a fortnight away, the famous Sunday market in this summer capital remained deserted as COVID-19 cases and deaths continued to rise unabated in the Kashmir valley.

Of the total 238 fatalities reported since March this year, 203 people have lost their lives due to infection in 45 days, and 223 people in 59 day in J&K, where 441 new positive cases were reported on Saturday, taking the total number of infected people to 13,198.

The 3-km-long Sunday market from Tourist Reception Centre (TRC0 to Hari Singh High Street (HSHS), including Lal Chowk, the nerve centre of the summer capital, Srinagar, remained closed since March 8, about three weeks before J&K witnessed its first COVID-19 related death.

The famous weekly flea market used to attracts thousands of customers from different parts of the Valley. Business worth crores of rupees was done every week in the market in which all types of goods are sold on economical rates.

People associated with the market said the business used to triple three to four weeks before Eid festival as customers used to throng the Sunday market in large numbers to make purchases, including clothes, shoes and other items.

However, the entire road stretch was deserted as vendors were not allowed to put up their stalls in the market in the city, where restrictions were re-imposed from July 13 in view of spiralling number of COVID-19 deaths and new positive cases.

“It is ironical that we were not allowed to put up stalls in the market as it is our only source of income. We understand that COVID-19 has to be curtailed, but if such is the case, why is the authority allowing Amarnath yatra and inviting tourists to the valley. Will that not spread COVID-19 in Kashmir? Why is the administration keeping locals under lockdown and inviting tourists and yatris,” Tahir Ahmad, a vendor, told UNI.

Tahir said he is not against yatra or tourists coming to the valley, but keeping locals under lockdown and inviting people from outside doesn’t make any sense.

Another vendor, expressing displeasure over the closure of the market, said everyday scores of busses come to Kashmir with non-local labourers. “Yesterday, I asked a couple of them if they were tested for COVID-19, they said no. How will COVID-19 be curtailed if people coming from outside are not tested,” he said.

He said they have hardly earned anything since August last year, when centre abrogated Article 370 and Article 35 A, which led to strike and restrictions for several months. “Firstly because of unrest post August 5, 2019, we were not able to put up our stall for several months. Then after resuming business for few weeks, the market was again closed due to COVID-19. So it has been about a year since we have worked properly,” he said.

He appealed to the government to make arrangements so that business and curtailing COVID-19 could coexist. Similar, views were expressed by other vendors and shopkeepers in other markets.

Srinagar is the worst affected district in J&K in terms of causalities with 59 deaths due to COVID-19 while the number of positive cases has also swelled with 2611 people testing positive for the infection so far. The summer capital also has the lowest recovery rate in J&K.
UNI ABS SY 1445