GUWAHATI: The United Garo Autonomous Council Movement Committee (UGACMC) has urged the Goalpara district administration to prohibit traders and suppliers violating COVID-19 safety protocols while selling farm produce in the border district.
Bulk of the farm produce is transported from Meghalaya and sold in the western Assam district.
UGACMC, Assam state chairman, Alex K Sangma, in a memorandum to Goalpara deputy commissioner on Thursday said that farmers from Meghalaya transport their agriculture produce through NH-217 (NH-51 and NH-62) and dump goods on the roadside of the highway near the border villages of Berubari, Kasumari (Kharkutta), Damra and Athiabari in Goalpara district.
“Traders and labourers coming from orange zone areas of Goalpara, Bongaigaon, Dhubri districts are engaged in the sale of these farm products in the weekly bazaar along the national highway without following the guidelines of COVID-19,” Sangma alleged.
He further said that the residents of the border areas were in a state of fear over the possible spread of COVID-19 as most of the traders and labourers engaged in the weekly markets were violating norms by not wearing face masks or adhering to the social distancing and personal hygiene protocols.
“Hence, it is imperative on the part of the district administration to take cognisance of the matter and morale of the people residing in the border areas. We urge the district administration to stop such activities as well as the transportation of any product from Meghalaya to Assam during the COVID-19 lockdown period as a safety measure,” Sangma stated in the memorandum.
