15 mobile rythu bazaars to be launched in Vizag amid COVID-19 lockdown

Minister for Tourism, Culture and Youth Advancemen0,t Muttamsetti Srinivasarao announced that 15 mobile rythu bazaars will be launched in Vizag amid the current lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.

On Saturday, the Minister, along with VMRDA Chairman Dronamraju Srinivasarao and Joint Collector L. Sivashankar, inspected a rythu bazaar in the city. Speaking on the occasion, he said that the Joint Collector has been directed to set up tents for the sellers, who have been braving the scorching sun at these bazaars. He further urged the people to follow social distancing to safeguard themselves from coronavirus. Stating that the revenue, police, medical and health departments are working constantly, Mr. Rao said there isn’t any difficulty in the transportation of essential commodities.

Later in the day, the Minister held a review meeting, on COVID-19, with MPs, MLAs, MLCs and district officials. Speaking at the meeting, he stressed the significance of social distancing in the wake of the pandemic. “Chief Minister YS Jagan has set up a state-level task force. All the essential goods, sanitation, and medical services will be available during the 21-day lockdown. Vehicles transporting essential goods and banana crops should not be stopped. Transport of goods by inter-district and inter-state vehicles should not be interrupted either,” Mr. Rao added.

While GVMC Commissioner, G Srijana, updated that there is no shortage of bleaching powder in the city, District Collector V Vinay Chand said that there would be no obstructions to the transport of essential goods during the lockdown. Stating that essential commodities are currently being sold from 6 AM to 1 PM, he shared that there have been suggestions to further restrict the timings.

The Collector also mentioned that milk will be sold from 6 AM to 6 PM while medical services will be available without any restrictions. He explained that a meeting was already held with wholesale dealers and the requisite passes were issued to transport vehicles. Mobile rythu bazaars will be set up on the streets in Vizag, Mr. Chand informed.

MPs MVV Satyanarayana and BV Satyavati, VMRDA Chairman Dronamraju Srinivasa Rao, Government Whip Budi Muttayala Naidu, Joint Collectors L. Shiva Shankar, M. Venugopal Reddy, GVMC Commissioner G Srijana, VMRDA Additional Commissioner Manazir Jilani Samoon, GVMC Additional Commissioner Tammina Ansari, MLC PVN  Madhav, MLAs Kannababu Raju, Gudivada Amarnath, Golla Baburao, Adeep Raj, K. Bhagya Lakshmi, Petla Uma Shankar Ganesh, district officials, and others were present.