On the first day of Ramazan, the people of Lahore stubbornly defied the government's repeatedly call for social distancing to limit the spread of the deadly coronavirus as they rushed to grocery shops and street stalls to stock up food for sehri and iftar.
Rising cases of the coronavirus in the provincial capital has not deterred the people from clustering around fruit and vegetable vendors on roadsides and crowding grocery shops in various parts of the city.
In the last 24 hours, more new Coronavirus cases were reported in the provincial capital, taking the total tally to over 900. But still, the people are seen in large number around road-side vendors and shops without giving consideration for social distancing, the government had repeatedly requested the people to a keep a distance from others, but they defy it, posing themselves and others to considerable risk.
A grocery shop at Krishan Nagar was crowded with people without giving a thought about maintaining a distance. Khurram, the shop owner, told Business Recorder on Friday that since the shop will be closed at 5 pm, the people are rushing to buy grocery for the holy month. "All day we did not see the rush, but about 2 hours before the closing, a large number of customers started to come. We do fear about the virus, but we cannot control the rush or ask them to keep a distance," he added.
A buyer at that shop, Saleem, said that he has come to buy stuff for sehri and iftar and in his opinion social distancing was not possible in places like this. "So, I have to barge in to buy, there is no other way; the people will not show courtesy," he added.
Meanwhile, an old lady selling bananas said that she has seen an unusual rush today due to the beginning of Ramazan. She was least concerned about the virus and the people gathered around her to buy the fruit. "I earn money daily to feed my family; I have no option but to sell goods like this," he added.
Hassan, buying the fruit from the lady, interrupted by saying that the whole situation is blown out of proportion; no such case was reported in his area. "Anyway, what choice do I have, one has to leave home to buy grocery," he added.
The rush of vendors and buyers on the side of the Canal Road, near Mughalpura, was no different from any other normal day; people on both motorbikes and cars were seen shopping from the street traders. There is a large queue of vegetable and fruit vendors on Canal Road from Hajvery Scheme to Harbanspura interchange while temporary stalls of unstitched cloths and crockery can also be seen near Fateh Garh.
When a buyer was asked whether he was exposing himself to the virus, Imran said that he needed to buy grocery for fasting and this place was on his way home. "I am taking all the precautions and I doubt a five minute at this place will expose him to the virus," he added.
Another customer, Ahsan had come to buy fruit with his child. He told this scribe that they both needed an outing and buy stuff for sehri, so he thought he takes him out to buy some fruit. "It is tough to stay inside all day," he added.
Many of stall owners did realize the gravity of the situation, but they all had one justification; they have no choice but to earn and feed their family.
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