Despite containment zone rules, supply of essential items allowed: PMC

The Pune Municipal Corporation Commissioner said that the system of police and other state government departments assigning passes to those delivering essential commodities like milk, groceries, vegetables, LPG cylinders, petrol and ration would continue.

On Monday, PMC had declared the entire city as a containment zone, sealed the boundaries of civic areas and stopped the entry or exit of people.

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) on Tuesday clarified that there were no restrictions on movement of vehicles ferrying essential commodities, and no pass was required for them, after Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad were declared containment zones.

“The PMC administration had clarified on April 19, during the first lockdown period, that there was no restriction on the movement of vehicles providing essential commodities and services. There is no need for passes for them,” said Municipal Commissioner Shekhar Gaikwad.

He said the system of police and other state government departments assigning passes to those delivering essential commodities like milk, groceries, vegetables, LPG cylinders, petrol and ration would continue.

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On Monday, PMC had declared the entire city as a containment zone, sealed the boundaries of civic areas and stopped the entry or exit of people. The police had also declared conditional curfew in the city, allowing business activities only between 10 am to 12 noon, and only those deemed ‘essential services’.

Earlier, the PMC had sealed the wholesale market of groceries and vegetables, leading to panic among local residents. This had led the civic body to clarify that supply of essential commodities would continue.

However, vegetable vendors complained that vehicles carrying agriculture produce were not allowed to enter the city. “We are selling yesterday’s material today as fresh material is not available,” said a vendor.

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