PUNE: Amid a rapid increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra, the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) market in Pune witnessed a huge crowd on Tuesday.
Abdul Qadar, a vegetable vendor, said: "People are coming here to buy vegetables and fruits. That cannot be controlled. To control and manage the crowd, lockdown is the only option. We are taking precautions on our level. What else we can do? We are poor, have to earn a living. We cannot afford to sit back at home from the fear of Corona."
"I came to purchase fruits and vegetables but now I fear for my life as the market is so crowded and people are not following COVID-19 guidelines," said a local.
Ashfaq, a fruit vendor said, "We do fear the pandemic but everyone needs to eat. People come here to buy fruits and vegetables and we come here to earn a living. The market is crowded because fruits and vegetables in other markets are costlier. Here they are available at affordable prices. We take precautions and continue to do our work despite the rise in cases."
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) COVID War Room/Control Room has been receiving over 900 calls on a daily basis, said Dr Jeevan Chaudhary, Medical Officer at the control room.
Speaking to ANI, the medical officer said, "We are receiving 900 calls every 24 hours among which 600 are received in the daytime and 300 in the night. The calls have increased because some patients call multiple times for inquiry of beds or other medical facilities."
Maharashtra reported 51,751 new COVID-19 infections and 258 related deaths on Monday.