Retail shops run low on stock as latest spell of lockdown restricts movement

Chennai

“There has been no business from June 19. Though the Greater Chennai Corporation had provided vehicle passes to deliver loads to the shops, government officals have not been accepting them since the latest lockdown. So, all wholesale and retail shops will be closed on Wednesday (June 24),” said S Soundarajan, South Chennai President of Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sangagalin Peravai.

“Another reason for the strike is to highlight our protest against the death of two traders in police custody at Sathankulam after they opened their shops for business beyond the stipulated time,” he added.

Vendors said retail shops have been running out of stock from the past week. “Dealers stopped supplying products to the shops after the lockdown was imposed. Even if we go and get the stock ourselves, we get lesser than the demand. We hope the crisis would be over by the next month,” said Saravana Raj V, who runs a supermarket at Ekkaduthangal.

Retailers added that the number of customers has also decreased in the past few days.

“Even before the latest lockdown, we were running out of stocks as none of the dealers was willing to supply products to our requirement. They claim that they are facing a shortage of staff. We are unable to go collect the stock ourselves, too, as police checking is strict in the area as there are many positive cases reported from here,” said Parimala, who runs a supermarket at New Washermanpet.

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sangagalin Peravai announced that all retail and wholesale shops will be closed on Wednesday as there has been no sale from the past week owing to the difficulty in movement of essential goods and to protest the custodial death of two traders in Sathankulam.