BELAGAVI
Vegetable supplies to Goa are expected to be hit as Karnataka has imposed a night curfew and weekend lockdown that is in effect from Wednesday.
The flow of tourists from Belagavi and North Karnataka region is also expected to come down due to the weekend curfew, which will be in effect till May 4.
Amid a huge spike of Covid cases in Karnataka, the government convened a high-powered meeting presided over by Governor Vajubhai Vala and a set of new Covid guidelines was issued on Tuesday night.
According to the order, a night curfew has been imposed from 9 pm to 6 am from Monday to Friday and a weekend curfew that would commence from Friday night to Monday morning from 9 pm to 6 am respectively.
The decision to impose the weekend curfew is expected to have an adverse impact as the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) Belagavi has directed the wholesalers not to procure or supply vegetables on Saturday and Sunday.
The issue has become more serious as the APMC is closed on Mondays, which means the supplies will be affected for three consecutive days.
The APMC traders have appealed to authorities to allow the wholesale vegetable market to function during the weekend lockdown, so that farmers and consumers are not affected.
Meanwhile, the weekend lockdown in Karnataka will also affect Goa’s tourism. As most tourists from Belagavi and North Karnataka region head to Goa for a weekend picnic, the lockdown will prevent them from doing so.
It also may be noted that a large number of people from North Karnataka region visit the casinos in Goa and the weekend lockdown is expected to restrict their visits.
Besides, the number of Goans visiting Belagavi on the weekend is also expected to stop, causing an adverse impact on the Belagavi market.
