Checking at mutton outlets in Bhubaneswar call of the day as fresh Covid cases surface

By Sourabha Parida Bhubaneswar, June 4: The state administration is opening up trading activities to provide livelihood to small traders and street vendors, of course adhering to social distancing norms. On the other hand, it has decided to clamp 48-hour shutdown on Saturdays and Sundays in 11 districts including the state capital Bhubaneswar city till June end. In fact, the city today reported four fresh cases of Covid-19 after a long gap. While one case has been detected from home quarantine linked to earlier positive case of Kalinga Vihar, there are three local contact cases - one in Aiginia of Patrapada area, another is an employee of AIIMS Bhubaneswar and the third patient belongs to Dumduma area. As people are keen for non-veg items after virtual abstinence from these foods, the wet market is now gathering crowds. Although fish and chicken shops are adhering to social distancing guidelines by drawing circles and tying ropes in front of their outlets, these norms seem to be thrown to winds at mutton shops across the city. Though the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has banned wayside slaughtering of animals, goats are seen being butchered in full public view across the city. Surprisingly, it is more visible during the ongoing lockdown period when social distancing and maintenance of public hygiene have been made mandatory. Be it at Palamandap Square in Dumduma area where a fresh Covid-19 positive case has been detected on Thursday or busy SUM Hospital road, the scene is same everywhere. "While the butchers are not wearing face masks and hand gloves, splitting at the spot is the most worst site which has been banned by the state  administration," says a customer Sandip Mallick at Dumduma. Similarly, the customers are seen not bothered about the Covid-19 guidelines and outpace each other to get their favourite portion of the meat, said Rakesh Sinha of Chandrasekharpur. Contacted, a BMC official on the other hand said, "We are undone because of staff scarcity. There is a huge vacancy in the posts of sanitary inspectors". Another major grievance of the customers is the meat vendors are charging high taking the opportunity of the lockdown and cheating in quality and weighing. Consumers are afraid that there will be more rush at mutton counters in weekdays, especially Wednesday and Friday as the shops will be closed down on Saturday and Sunday following the new norms of unlock 1.