Pune: Confusion – that’s the last thing a city like Pune needs when it is in the middle of a pandemic, and in the red zone, no less. But till a few days ago, a harrowed Punekar was spending a major part of his coronavirus lockdown time trying to decipher the mixed orders given by various authorities in Pune.
How long can shops remain open? Which shops can reopen? Who can buy petrol? Who can travel on the road? Who can get a pass?
These questions stemmed from another set of questions.
Whom to believe and follow? The District Collector? The Pune Commissioner of Police? Or the Municipal Commissioner?
It had gotten so bad, that the Maharashtra government had to intervene and give final authority to the Municipal Commissioner Shekhar Gaikwad in city areas and District Collector Naval Kishore Ram in rural parts.
Though every authority was working with good intentions 24x7 to achieve just one goal -- to control the spread of COVID-19 and save as many lives as possible -- but probably their approaches towards achieving this sometimes overlapped (for good) and sometimes went in a different direction.
The clarity in orders is now apparent, but it will still take time for things to regularise.
A senior officer involved in the city’s administration felt authorities could not ignore the needs of people who are fighting for survival.
“It is true. There was a lack of communication and different opinions among authorities. Now, it has been cleared, and the government has framed jurisdiction to take and issue an order,” he said.
The three ‘authorities’
After the number of COVID-19 patients started increasing, the Epidemic Disease Act 1893 was implemented in the country. The Act which was enacted for preventing the spread of epidemic diseases empowers both the Central and State Governments to take specific actions to prevent the spread of such diseases. Under the Act, the government authorities take decision and bureaucracy gets a stronghold.
When it comes to Pune city, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), the Pune District Collector and the Police are the three authorities that are in-charge. Yet, for many Puneites the actions of all these three authorities were just confusing, especially when they concerned various services - from milk and vegetables to grocery. The most recent example being -
May 1 - Two days before the end of lockdown 2.0, the PMC chief announced that they are thinking of some relaxations in non-containment areas in Pune city.
May 3 - PMC announced that they were doing micro-planning for giving concessions in non-containment areas.
May 3 (late night) - PMC Commissioner issued an order to allow five non-essential shops on-road or lane in the non-containment area. But it did not mention which categories of shops, stretches of the road etc. He gave authority to the local police station to decide that.
May 4- The police did not allow shops to open. Long queues at liquor shops were a testimony of this power struggle.
Finally, PMC Commissioner issued a detailed order of shops’ timing in containment and non-containment areas. But now, the traders are opposing decision (of opening non-essential shops), and are agreed to open only essential commodity shops in containment, and non-containment areas between 10.00 am to 2.00 pm.
Shop timings chaos
Shops’ opening time was also confusing. Earlier, grocery, vegetable and milk shops were to be operational in the morning from 9 to 12. After that, it was changed and an evening slot of 2 to 5 pm was added. Then, it was again changed to 10-12 but the scorching heat and public outrage led to its extension till 2 pm.
The timings now stand at 7 am to 7 pm. But, apparently still it is not being followed by the traders’ association and the police.
A shopkeeper in Kharadi, on condition of anonymity, said, “Though the PMC allowed opening non-essential commodity shops, our trader organisation is asking us to close it. Essential commodity shops are open between 10.00 am to 2.00 pm. If we are opening it, police force us to close it. We are also confused about what to do. We want to start our business because we have already faced losses.”
Confusion prevails among shopkeepers in suburban areas. They are still following the old order of opening only essential commodity shops. In some areas, shops are open as per the civic body’s schedule. Sachin Kadam from Hadapsar pointed out this lack of communication when went to purchase electronic items, but the shop was closed as the shop owner had not gotten any written order to open.
Petrol - to buy or not to buy
Now petrol is in the eye of the storm, as people are struggling to buy petrol/diesel for their vehicles, so that they can make full use of the relaxations that have come into force.
Petrol Pump officials are demanding identity cards from customers. They claim that they haven’t received any order when in fact PMC had said that people could buy petrol in its Sunday (May 3) order.
But, the district collector issued a new order and mentioned that petrol could be bought only by pass holders and essential services which was changed later on Wednesday (May 6)
The spokesperson of the Indian Petroleum Dealers Association, Ali Daruwala, said, “Earlier, there were no clear guidelines about the petrol supply to the general public. However, now the issue has been solved, and District collector issued an order, and we are selling petrol to everyone.”
He said that there are 550 pumps across the Pune district and there are around 80 pumps in city limits. All have started selling petrol as per order.
PMC’s take
Gaikwad has assured that people can expect clear orders and no more confusion. He said, “On the Central and State governments’ guidelines, we have to issue orders at the local level. Guidelines are being issued either in the afternoon or evening. So, we have to issue an order the same day even if it is late in the evening or night. Now, we have clearly given fresh directives, and there will be no confusion among people. It will take two days to exercise the orders smoothly in city areas.”