Kathmandu, June 10
Police in Kathmandu have blocked local shopkeepers of the New Road area, a major business hub of the city, from opening their shops, citing lockdown restrictions imposed to control the coronavirus outbreak in the country are still in effect.
After the government did not introduce any modality to do their businesses even more than two and a half months passed since the beginning of the lockdown in March, the traders had decided to open their shops last week. It was reported that the Kathmandu District Administration Office also agreed to not obstruct the business.
However, the police have been blocking the shopkeepers from opening the shops from Tuesday again.
Meanwhile, a group of traders that had called the shopkeepers to be back to business last week has warned of a protest if the government does not create any environment to do business. “Today, we will wait. If the government does not make any decision about the issue today, hundreds of traders will come to the streets tomorrow,” Naresh Katuwal, the president of National Entrepreneurs Federation of Nepal, says.
He said the traders would hand over the padlocks and keys of their shops if the government would not create an environment to do their business. “The government should be responsible for our business if it does not change the lockdown modality or announce any relief package for us.”
