Pune: As the Poona Merchant Chambers has decided to close the grocery market of Market Yard from Tuesday after few of the traders were found COVID-19 positive, Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) officials, director of marketing conducted meeting with the traders and the entire market is getting sanitised. APMC administrator, BJ Deshmukh mentioned that the market will get started in a few days.

Deshmukh said, "On Monday, we have conducted a meeting with the traders, and director of marketing to understand their problems and what can be done. As there are a few positive cases and one death due to coronavirus, these traders are extremely scared. We have also started the sanitisation work of the entire market yard and also ensuring all the precautions are taken. Hopefully, we will sort this issue in two to three days and the grocery market will be functional then."

Popatlal Ostwal, President of The Poona Merchant Chambers Association said, "The traders are very scared after a few of COVID-19 positive cases were found here. We have conducted a meeting with the APMC officials and informed about our problems. They will reach a decision and post that we will decide about the opening of the market. However, until then the market will remain closed."

The wholesale market of vegetables and fruits at Market Yard has been closed since April 10 due to lack of social distancing. Besides that, various traders too come from the containment zone. However, the sub-yards such as Manjiri, Moshi and Uttamnagar continued to remain functional.