Several confectioners, who were sceptical aboutopening their outlets for just four hours, fearing morelosses, will now confidently lift shutters in the next two tothree days, West Bengal Sweetmeat Shop Owners' AssociationSecretary Jagannath Ghosh said.
"There are around one lakh sweet shops in Bengal. Justabout 30 per cent shops were doing business since March 31(when the 4-hour order was issued), trying to recover the costincurred. The new notification will encourage more owners toopen their outlets. By Sunday, 50 per cent shops will liftshutters and hopefully make profit.
"I say 50 per cent as employees of many sweet shopshave returned to their villages and the owners will find itextremely difficult to run the show without them," Ghosh said.
Dhiman Chandra Das, the owner of popular confectionery'K C Das', said he would have to make arrangements for thesafety of customers and staffers over the next three days.
"We need to clean the entire premises and makeadequate provisions for sanitisers and hand wipes beforestarting operations. Hopefully, we will be able to offset themounting losses during the morning hours, when more people areout on the streets to buy essentials," he said.
The government, in a notification on April 16 said "incontinuation of the order dated March 30, it is hereby notedthat sweetmeat shops (mistir dokan) may be open from 8 am to 4pm" from now on.
The notification clearly spelt out that only takeawayservices will be allowed for dry sweets.
Ghosh said all shops have been asked to abide by thelockdown norms, and customers will not be allowed to crowd thecounters.
"Our members will adhere to the guidelines issued bythe government. Customers will not be entertained if they donot maintain social distancing rules," Ghosh added. SUSRMS RMS