No business and industrial activities in textile town

Kolhapur

: Business and industrial activities in the textile

town

of

Ichalkaranji

have remained shut even though it has been included in the orange zone.

The densely populated town, with population of around 2.88 lakh, on Sunday reported its fourth Covid-19 positive patient. The areas where positive patients have been found have been sealed and declared containment zones.

District collector Daulat Desai said, "After one person was found positive for Covid-19, we have asked the local administration to be alert. Some restrictions have been relaxed in the district from May 4 as per the

government

rules but we expect that the lockdown in Ichalkaranji will continue as it is. We may have to tighten the restriction if people do not follow the rules and advisory issued by the local administration."

Vikas Kharat, sub-divisional officer (Ichalkaranji), said, "Orders have been issued to the health department officials to conduct door-to-door survey and prepare the list of the people that came in contact with the new positive patient."

An industrialist from the textile town said, "The government has relaxed norms for industries that fall in the MIDC area and not in the areas falling under the municipal council or municipal corporation. Almost all the processing units and power looms in Ichalkaranji are concentrated in Ichalkaranji town. With the chances of spread of coronavirus pandemic the industrialists are not keen on starting operations. But some want to start operations so that the migrant workers that are in mood of leaving to their hometowns in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh will stay back."