Maharashtra: NCP leader Supriya Sule urges govt to allow barber shops, salons to reopen

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Supriya Sule has requested the Maharashtra government to allow the reopening of salon shops citing financial strain faced by people dependent on the services. Barber shops and salons have been shut for more than 11 weeks since the coronavirus outbreak triggered the nationwide lockdown.

Sule bats for reopening of barber shops

Sule tweeted to state Maharastra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and fellow party colleague and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar that barber shops will be able to take all adequate precautions whilst offering the services. 

"We humbly request that, given the dire financial situation of all of them, you should sympathetically consider allowing them to do business," she said. 

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Earlier in the day, barbers in Aurangabad district of Maharashtra held a protest on Wednesday morning, demanding that the state government allow them to reopen their salons as the COVID-19 crisis and the lockdown has impacted their livelihood.

The Maharashtra Nabhik Mahamandal, a state-level association of barbers, warned that if the government fails to grant permission to them by June 15, they would reopen the shops and were ready to face the consequences.

While the government has given permission for several commercial establishments to operate as part of the easing of restrictions, barbers shops have been excluded from the list.

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Request to avoid crowding

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has asked the people of the state to follow all guidelines to prevent the spread of coronavirus even as restrictions are being gradually lifted. CM Thackeray has stated that if the situation worsens in the state, the government will be forced to reimpose the lockdown.

In a series of tweets, the Maharashtra Chief Minister's Office informed the Business Advisory Committee had met to discuss the session of the State Legislature and unanimously concluded that June 22 was too early to convey the session and decided to rescheduled it for August 3. 

CM Thackeray, in a press conference, said that the authorities have decided to lift and ease the lockdown in a phased manner, however, if the cases increase, then the administration will be forced to impose the lockdown. He urged the citizens to avoid over crowding and thanked the public for the faith.

With 1567 novel coronavirus cases detected in Mumbai on Wednesday, June 10, the city's COVID-19 tally soared to 52,445. In the day, 751 COVID-19 patients were discharged taking the number of recovered to 23,693. About 97 more casualties were reported, propelling Mumbai's death toll to 1,855; 80 of the aforesaid deceased had co-morbidities.

(With agency inputs)

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