Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his team of advisors took a tough decision in announcing the economic lockdown to control the exponential spread of the deadly Coronavirus across the country.  Little did they assume that a few of those citizens for whom this step was taken, have turned to immorality in conducting their affairs and cheating others who are dependent on them, without batting an eyelid.

In Udaipur, the President of the Association of Indian Journalists, Udaipur chapter, Dinesh Gothwal, informed that as per information received from residents of a few colonies in Udaipur, Kirana merchants (General Provision Stores) in those areas are using the lockdown and curfew scare to their advantage.  Grains, Wheat and Pulses are being sold at exorbitant rates and the buyers have no option but to buy them.

At the time when the government is flexing its muscles to ensure that essential commodities are sold at controlled rates, these few merchants are giving their business a bad name by charging exorbitant rates and ignoring the directives of the government and challenging humanity.

On one hand, the government, police and administration, along with a few NGOs and members of the public are spreading out to ensure delivery of free food to the destitute, these traders in Keshavnagar and across other locations in Udaipur and around, are cheating the public.

The same stands for vegetable and fruit vendors who are charging exorbitant rates at the source buying destination (Krishi Mandi), which is making the end buyer pay a much higher sum for his purchases.

Elsewhere, in Delhi, thuggery is at it once again.  India Today, discovered an underground operation where fake face masks were being manufactured.  These shady operations have flourished overnight.

These masks, are produced in unhygienic environment and the end user is susceptible to risks from wearing these masks, which are anyways unsafe.

Where health experts around the world have warned that COVID-19 spreads through respiratory droplets, its spread is also possible through surfaces… especially unregulated material used for masks.

India Today, on a tip off, explored through Karawal Nagar in North East Delhi, and the undercover agents landed upon a broken cramped house.

Dilip Kumar Rai, the man who runs this business, says that he shifted from his regular business of manufacture water tap covers, to face masks, as he saw the demand shoot up.  The material he uses for face masks are the same that is used for the water taps.

These masks sold between Rs 88 to Rs 10 per piece, are even sent to government hospitals.

A similar business is operating in Noida, where substandard material is used for manufacture of face masks, in the most unhygienic of conditions.

So while it is a life-saving mission for some, it is business as usual for the others.

Source Courtesy: Media Feeds