KARAIKAL: Karaikal Municipality has sealed 10 shops in the past 13 days for not observing social distancing rules. On Tuesday, two popular shops in the town were sealed. PSR Thanga Maaligai – a jewellery shop – and Bright Opticals on Bharathiyar Road were sealed for failing to implement guidelines.
“We had to take the action against the jewellery shop as we found over 100 people inside.
It seemed to be an offer day. The crowd was uncontrollable. We asked the customers to leave and then shut the shop,” said S Subash, Municipality Commissioner.
Officials had a harder time closing the optical shop as people inside pulled down the shutters and allegedly hid after learning of officials’ visit. Officials said the shop would be shut no matter what, following which 30 people came out of the store before it was sealed.
They warned other shops to ensure social distancing is maintained to avoid a similar fate. Sealed shops open the next day after owners pay a fine of Rs 3,000 at the collectorate and give a written undertaking that social distancing norms would be followed.