Lifting weekend lockdown right decision at right time: CCI

Office bearers of CCI Jammu during a meeting at Chamber House in Jammu on Tuesday.
Office bearers of CCI Jammu during a meeting at Chamber House in Jammu on Tuesday.

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Feb 8: Jammu & Kashmir Government’s decision to lift weekend lockdown has came at a right time as the business community of Jammu was already going through crisis due to prevailing pandemic situation.
This was stated by Arun Gupta, president, Chamber of Commerce and Industries (CCI) Jammu while chairing a meeting of different market/trade and Industrial Associations at Chamber House. He said if the decision of lifting weekend lockdown was not taken, the situation was going to become from bad to worse for the business community.
Gupta said just after Government imposed some restrictions including weekend lockdown initially on Saturday and Sunday, the Chamber was in touch with the authorities and tried to convince them that the weekend lockdown is no solution to the rising cases of COVID-19 and it will only affect the business community who has already suffered huge losses due to previous lockdowns.
“Initially, with the intervention of Chamber shops were got opened on Fridays till 9 PM instead of 2 PM. However with the continuous effort of the chamber team requesting the administration to lift the lockdown for Saturdays amid decline in number of COVID cases reported on daily basis, administration finally agreed to open the shops on Saturday’s followed by the recent announcement to lift the weekend lockdown,” he added.
The CCI president urged the business community to ensure that all COVID protocols including wearing face masks are strictly followed in their business establishments to prevent further rising of COVID cases.
Others present in the meeting were Anil Gupta (senior vice president, CCI), Rajiv Gupta (junior vice president), Gaurav Gupta (secretary-general), Rajesh Gupta (secretary), Rajesh Gupta (treasurer), Sham Lal Kalsotra (president CCI Udhampur), Romesh Chander Gupta (ex-president CCI) and Sham Lal Langer (ex-senior vice president CCI).