Aurangabad, May 22:
The ongoing phase of the lockdown is in the last leg. To implement it effectively, the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has constituted 10 squads to take action against shopkeepers and traders found violating prohibitory orders and norms implemented under 'Break the Chain' in the city. These squads levied a fine of Rs 10,000 on small shops and
Rs 25,000 on big shops.
The ten squads took action against 100 shopkeepers and traders and collected a fine of Rs 2.17 lakh on the spot from them. They also sealed three shops during the drive today. Of all the 10 squads, four squads collected the maximum amount of fine. They collected a fine of Rs 47,700 from 13 shopkeepers; Rs 41,000 from seven shopkeepers; Rs 33,000 from 17 shopkeepers and Rs 31,000 from 16 shopkeepers and traders. No police case has been filed in this regard.
As reported earlier, the state government has permitted the essential commodities shops to remain open till 11 am, while all the commercial, semi-commercial and other shops had been ordered to remain close during the day. However, it has come to notice that these shops are opening their shops during the daytime and the citizens are rushing to buy from these establishments. Hence, the AMC administrator A K Pandey formed 10 squads comprising 40 personnel. There are nine zones in the city. Hence each team was deployed in each zone. The AMC also one separate vehicle and necessary sealing material to each squad. The squads will be visiting various areas in their respective zones daily from 11 am to 9 pm.
Meanwhile, the squads are ordered to submit their report after 9 pm daily to the head of solid waste management (SWM) cell Nandkishore Bhombe.