CHENNAI: If the history of Tamil Nadu’s tryst with the novel coronavirus is ever penned, there is every likelihood that Koyambedu Wholesale Market will overshadow every other incident. The market has now emerged as the biggest source of infection in the State, even pushing the Jamaat cluster that originated in Delhi to a distant second. The market has taken the State’s battle against the virus to an unchartered territory.
What could’ve gone wrong?
With the State now entering the third phase of lockdown, albeit in a relaxed manner, most cases being reported now are linked to the market. The main reason behind this can be attributed to lax enforcement of social distancing inside the market, which is one of the biggest in the country.On the first day of lockdown, on March 25, the officials announced that the retail section inside the wholesale market would not function. The officials even placed a small banner at the gate to inform this. However, when this reporter visited the retail vegetable market on the same day, it was business as usual. When pointed out, the officials sprung into action and tried to shut it down.
However, Day 2 of the lockdown didn’t even take off inside the retail market as the authorities allowed free running of shops, claiming that it was not a restricted area. The market continued to attract visitors during the lockdown, and several shops even functioned beyond the 1pm deadline, often in scant disregard to social distancing. Meanwhile, the rules of business were changing across markets in the State as many of them moved to open areas to ensure social distancing. However, the wind of change seemed to have missed Koyambedu market which continued to function in congested and closed space.
How CMDA acted?
With its limited manpower and having no prior experience in handling a pandemic of this scale, the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) was already limping. There were also some administrative tangles. As per the Essential Commodities Act, the Market Management Committee (MMC) is in direct control of the market, and the Chennai Corporation, which is spearheading the Covid-19 battle in the city, has a lesser role in managing the affairs inside the market.
Many traders whom this reporter interacted inside the market, had raised concern over thousands of people from different parts of the city visiting the market. A simple sneeze or cough from a single infected persons could spread the virus to several others.
Ill-fated move
The number of visitors to the market continued to increase even as the trend of infection showed no sign of abatement in the State. It is estimated that more than one lakh people visited the market to buy vegetables and fruits just ahead of the second phase of lockdown kick started. The worst day was Saturday April 25, the day before the four-day-long intense lockdown started. Almost all the fruits and vegetables in the retail market were sold out at double or triple the wholesale rates.
“The crowd was extraordinary and there was no space to move,” recollects Bhaskar, an onion trader in the market.By this time, worrying signals started reaching the CMDA and Chennai Corporation. Alarmed by the congestion inside the market, they started employing mobile carts for door-to-door sale of vegetables across the city. However, this move, instead of reducing the congestion, attracted more prospective vendors, many of them would later turn into carriers of the virus.
The health risks posed by Koyambedu market started emerging on a day prior to the end of intense lockdown. Even then, many retailers inside the market opposed shutting down of market and even refused to shift the business to other places.They also conveyed their stand during a meeting attended by some senior officials of the CMDA. Confusion prevailed for nearly a day before the retail market was finally closed, allowing only the wholesale operations.
By then, many officials, traders and workers had become the possible carriers of the virus, leading to the spill over of infections across the State. Even an electrician working with the MMC tested positive, forcing as many as 18 MMC staff to undergo tests. Officials told Express that social distancing could not be maintained at the market due to space crunch. He refused to explain why the market was not moved earlier to an open space.
What lies ahead?
K P Subramanian, a former professor of urban engineering at Anna University, told Express that primary and statutory obligation of the CMDA is to plan and develop the Chennai metropolitan area. They have merely confined their role in Koyambedu market to that of a landlord. They should not have entangled in the market management for the simple reason that it is not their domain.”
The minutes of a CMDA meeting that took place in 2015 itself reasons why the body cannot manage such a huge market. It makes it clear that the authority has no manpower and financial capabilities or powers under relevant Acts of the State government to operate such projects.