Labourers at grain markets give a miss to masks, social distancing

At a time when the government is working to reduce the rush of farmers at grain markets to maintain social distancing by issuing a fewer number of passes, there is no check on labourers giving a miss to social distancing, facemasks and gloves.

Fear gripped arhtiyas and visitors after the district mandi officer (DMO) and senior police officials, including ACP Anil Kohli, who died a few days ago, deputed near the mandi tested positive. But still, labourers working to unload and pack the produce at the grain market, are giving an open invitation to the disease by not following the norms. A similar situation was also witnessed at the grain market near the Gill Road.

While some labourers have no masks and gloves at all, many others are not wearing them properly. Labourers rued that it becomes difficult for them to work by wearing masks and gloves. Further, they had no option but to come close to one another during the process of putting wheat into bags, the added.

A farmer from Jamalpur village, requesting anonymity, said, “Farmers are facing harassment at the hands of the market committee as very few passes are issued in a day to farmers to avoid rush. However, there is no check on the labourers, who working in groups and throwing all the norms to the wind.”

The government should issue more passes to farmers as this way the labourers, who sit in groups when they are free, would get engaged in work and this would also expedite the process of wheat procurement, said the farmer.

President of the Arhtiya Association at the grain market near the Jalandhar Bypass Manjit Singh Dhillon said, “Arhtiyas have already asked their staff to ensure that the labourers maintain social distancing and wear masks. Masks have also been provided to the labour working in the mandi and they work only after wearing those masks.”

Chairman Darshan Lal (Laddoo) Baweja said arhtiyas had already been told to ensure that labourers wear masks, gloves and maintain social distancing. “I will direct the market committee staff to ensure that ahrtiyas and labourers comply with the norms.”