Nandini Milk Booths Flout Social Distancing & People are Seen Smoking in the Vicinity

Nandini Milk Booths Flout Social Distancing & People are Seen Smoking in the Vicinity

Mangaluru: Lockdown is a problem, social distancing a new challenge, but there are ways to keep things going. Milk, being an essential commodity, plus the brand itself, meant that we never really faced issues. For Nandini milk shops, the “lockdown” isn’t entirely new, because they have seen them in the past, whenever there were riots, curfews or natural calamities, like floods etc. And now, since March 2020, after lockdown kicked in, only the first few weeks saw milk buyers following the COVID-19 norms, by maintaining social distance and wearing face masks. Unfortunately, gone are those days, because a visit to any Nandini Milk booths in the City at present, consumers are seen storming the shop, with no one maintaining distance and many without face masks, knowing that no one will see them flouting the rules, being early morning time.

After Team Mangalorean heard from an elderly-lady about her experience at the Nandini Milk Booth, near Service Bus stand/opposite to M Pais and Son shop, Maidan Road, Mangaluru, where she said, “I live a few blocks from this milk booth, so I go to buy milk and bread from there since it is very convenient for me to walk from my flat. However, every time I visit this milk booth, it is crowded with migrants and homeless people sipping on their coffee or tea, and not adhering to social distance, whatsoever. Also, there will be a bunch of men smoking cigarettes around the shop, which is totally against the law, when they are not supposed to smoke near the shop. And the shop owner has done nothing to stop these violations”.

Next day, Team Mangalorean visited this milk booth and found everything was true, whatever the lady had said. Early morning, a bunch of migrants/homeless were seen having coffee/tea/snacks standing close to each other, and also a couple of men were smoking, Clicking a few pics, Yours Truly questioned the milk booth owners, run by husband and wife, why they were allowing people to smoke near the booth, and not instructing their customers to maintain the Covid-19 guidelines. “We have told them many times, but they still continue to disobey our requests, and nothing much we can do” was the answer from the man. Even after a sign was posted at the shop, that smoking is prohibited, but all in vain, as men were seen puffing on their favourite brand of cigarettes. By the way, it was a dumb and useless answer from the shop owner?

PEOPLE SEEN SMOKING IN THE VICINITY OF NANDINI MILK BOOTHS

Team Mangalorean, later going around the City, found almost every Nandini Milk Booths were seen with people not following distance between themselves, and also that people were smoking and chewing on tobacco when it was not permitted by the government. I am not sure whether as per the agreement between the Milk Booth owners and Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF), they are allowed to sell cigarettes, gutka etc. If KMF doesn’t permit the shop owners to sell such products, then they are violating the rules and agreement norms- and in such case, KMF having a connection with the government body should take action against those violating the rules/norms, and punish them.

The one big challenge for these milk booths in this lockdown, however, no matter what, they need to maintain social distancing and refuse in selling the products to the people who violate rules. But that’s not happening at the moment, where KMF nor the milk booth owners are worried about it. Yet another thing is that, while other shops selling essentials strictly followed the lockdown timings of operation, from 8 am-11 am, Nandini Milk booths were seen open at 4 am or 5 am- and even open on Sunday Total Lockdown day when other shops were closed. Why this discrimination? Is it because these milk booths are government influenced? Why different rules at Nandini Milk Booths?

In conclusion, whether it is a Nandini milk booth or a supermarket or any store, we must all make sacrifices in the COVID-19 Age. It’s a new etiquette. Visit a supermarket or a medical shop or a neighbourhood store today, and you’re likely to be greeted outside by a member of staff. But they won’t be helping you with your Shopping. Instead, they’ll be ensuring you stick to the new strict social-distancing rules. All shops, grocery shops, milk booths, medical shops, supermarkets have marked out boxes on floors so customers can keep a safe distance during the Coronavirus crisis.

At supermarkets and shops, you’ll be met by staff, wearing gloves, called greeters. Their jobs are exactly the same: To ensure only a limited number of shoppers enter stores at any one time. They check if people are queuing responsibly and that shoppers wait patiently and stand two to three metres away from each other. Some shops scan your forehead for temperatures through thermal scanners and will allow you in only if you don’t have fever and symptoms. And the doors are open only after your hands are sanitized and after you wear a mask. The rules are as much to protect store workers as well as shoppers.

Yes, Shopping is no longer a leisure activity. Instead, visits to a store — which you’re only supposed to make to pick up essentials, are carefully regulated. Many Shops also no longer want your cash. Instead, they are trying to encourage shoppers to pay by contactless card to cut down on potentially virus-covered cash being passed around the population. You’ll see posters encouraging you to look after yourself and treat staff well. So, when all other shops are trying hard to prevent the spread of the virus, it is advisable that KMF also strictly adhere to the COVID-19 guidelines, and direct the people who run their milk booths to follow the rules, and stop selling tobacco products, which are health hazards!