Vegetable market in Vashi to shut after one tests positive

The committee that heads APMC Vashi has decided to shut down the market from April 11 in view of a spice trader testing positive for COVID19 on Thursday The decision has also been taken keeping in mind the recent spike in positive cases in Mumbai Navi Mumbai and Thane However the APMC committee claims farmers will be able to send supplies directly to customers in Mumbai Thane and Navi MumbaiWhile the committee might facilitate such direct supplies insiders feel there could be a short supply of vegetables and fruits However the authorities concerned said that they have supplied sufficient stocks of grain and other essentials to these areas In view of this the Pune market will also be shut downSpeaking to midday Konkan Divisional Commissioner Shivaji Daund said The APMC committee has taken the decision for a lockdown as a precautionary step We will monitor the situation and review the same before a decision to reopen the market could be taken in consultation with all the stakeholders and governmentWill it impact supplyShirish Badgujar assistant secretary APMC market committee said We will witness a short supply of perishable items like fruits and vegetables but since the market has already been deregistered farmers can directly take their supplies to the customers doorstepAll traders and visitors at the market are being screened and made to pass through disinfectant chambers before entering the marketSashikant Shinde Mathadi Union Leader and elected member of APMC committee too echoed a similar concern He said On the state governments request the Mathadi workers and APMC committee had decided to call off the earlier lockdown which was to continue until March 31 so that people would get a constant supply of vegetables and essentials The market was a sitting duck for a major community outbreak of COVID19 The government called for statewide lockdown but there was no restriction on people moving in and out of APMC market We then decided to reduce the number of trucksvehicles entering APMC It was brought down to 350 vehicles per day which helped us to manage crowding to a certain extentShinde added Majority of the customers were coming from areas like Dharavi Mankhurd Govandi Kurla etc which have already seen a number of positive COVID19 cases This was another reason of our concern From Saturday April 11 even the onion and potato market will be shutPositive case creates panicDr Ajay Patil medical officer APMC said We have information that the trader who tested positive was dealing in Anogeissus Latifolia dink at the spice market The trader had been complaining of cough fever and some other symptoms of CoronavirusWhile he claimed that he had not visited the APMC market since March 20 the situation has led to a lot of panic in the area Efforts are on to get all those who worked at his shop tested and steps are being taken to trace those who came in contact with him Dr Patil added When asked what precautionary steps had been taken at the market he said We were screening all traders and visitors Sodium hypochloride was being sprayed on trucksvehicles entering the market and even people were being made to pass through disinfectant chambers But all of this goes for a toss with a single positive case getting detectedAlternate suggestionA proposal was put before the state administration that the BMC NMMC and Thane Municipal Corporation should make a list of all the traders in their respective localities and also identify a minimum of four to five shops where all the essentials including grains pulses fruits and vegetables could be directly sent from APMC in a packed form The residents of these areas could visit the designated shops and get all the products they need Moreover APMC recently set up a war room which could be used to keep a track of required orders from traders based on need and the same be supplied to stores across the city But for reasons best known to the authorities the suggestion was not seriously consideredPrevent illegal hoarding by tradersSashikant Shinde said We have already supplied sufficient stocks of food grains in Mumbai Thane and Navi Mumbai Even if APMC is shut down we will be able to meet the demand To prevent hoarding of stocks by traders the food and civil supply department should check and maintain records of stocks in warehouses and cold storages in and around the city and MMR region150No of warehouses in Mumbai Thane and Navi MumbaiCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and a complete guide from food to things to do and events across Mumbai Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates MidDay is now on Telegram Click here to join our channel middayinfomedialtd and stay updated with the latest news