Govt allows sweet shops in Bengal to remain open from 12 noon-4pm after request from apex body

The West Bengal government has allowed sweet shops to remain open from 12 noon to 4 pm during the lockdown period after an apex body of the shop owners wrote to the government expressing concern over waste of milk, huge losses and jobless workers.

The government order says that this would be applicable “only for takeaway for packed items”, and that “norms of social distancing should be strictly followed”.

Some owners and customers expressed relief and welcomed the decision of the government. However, some said that the timings would harm their business nonetheless.

Dhiman Das from the Paschimbanga Mistanna Byabsayee Samity said that the government may consider changing the timings to the earlier part of the day when people usually went out to buy their groceries.

Girish Chandra Dey & Nakur Chandra Nandy – one of the oldest and most renowned shops in the state, wrote on their social media pages that despite the government order, they would remain closed for safety reasons. “Though the state government has been kind to allow sweet shops to remain open, keeping safety in mind, before business, our shop will remain closed till further notice. Stay home. Stay safe. Patience and prevention can help defeat Coronavirus.”