A CORRESPONDENT
HAFLONG: Even though the District Disaster Management Authority's (DDMA) new SOP was in place wherein shops could be opened only during the notified time, the recent notice from Haflong Municipal Board (HMB) to shut down shops other than grocery shops, bakery, pharmacy, vegetable, fish and meat, and egg vendors, traders are in dilemma which notice to follow. The notice from Haflong Municipal Board stated that as per the emergent decision of the members of the NC Hills Autonomous Council (NCHAC) taken during a meeting on May 24, due to the COVID-19 situation only grocery shops, bakery, pharmacy, vegetable, fish and meat, and egg vendors within the jurisdiction of Haflong Municipal Board will be allowed to open and the other shops are directed to shut down with immediate effect until further order.
One trader said that the Haflong Municipal Board authority did not communicate with the merchant association before issuing such a notice. He said it was good to keep shops closed to prevent spread of the pandemic but closure of all shops would also hamper the traders and people in general. The traders of Haflong are now in a dilemma over which order to follow –DDMA's or the HMB's?
The chairman of the Haflong Municipal Board could not be contacted for his comments.