Nag Vidarbha Chamber of Commerce (NVCC) has demanded the State administration that during the limited period of lockdown, not only traders but the services of the e-commerce players should also be closed. Ashwin Mehadia, President of NVCC said, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has announced the lockdown from April 6 to April 30 to break the chain of coronavirus. However, excluding the essential services, he had asked all the traders to shut down their shops. The Chief Minister had not issued any guideline for the on-line service providers who are doing their business in the lockdown period. These on-line players are delivering all the requisite goods demanded by the customers. They are also giving home delivery of goods and other items.

 

 

 

Home delivery services have become one of the platforms to bring coronavirus at the doorsteps of the customers. “When we are asked to close down our shops, then these on-line service providers should also be directed to shut their operations,” he said. There are several small traders whose shops have been closed. These small traders reach out to large number of customers in various areas. In the lockdown period, they are facing lot of hardships. The workers who were deployed by these small traders have become jobless. These small traders are paying regular taxes and fulfilling all the compliances. If these small traders are being directed to shut their business activities, then what is the rational behind allowing on-line players to do their business.

 

This year too Government has not announced any financial package to the traders. “We are not having adequate capital to withstand the circumstances,” Mehadia said. Small traders are ready to co-operate the Government to break the chain of the coronavirus. Likewise, it should also direct on-line players to stop their operations and deliver goods at the doorsteps of the customers, he demanded.