Owing to pressure from all sections, the UP government finally retraced its steps in less than 24 hours and withdrew its order that directed all commercial establishments to down shutters at 7 pm in order to reduce power consumption.
The UP labour department on Sunday night had issued an order asking all shopping malls and commercial establishments to down their shutters at 7 pm.
The state government, on Monday, said in the state Assembly that the order was merely a “suggestion” but later in the evening, it issued a press statement saying that the order was being withdrawn.
The issue was raised in the UP Assembly on Monday through an adjournment notice served by BJP MLA Satish Mahana. Mr Mahana said that the labour department order was reminiscent of the arbitrary orders issued by kings of yore.
“This was merely a suggestion and we are not going to force anyone to follow it,” parliamentary affairs minister Azam Khan said in the state Assembly on Monday.
The Congress and the BJP, however, staged a walkout to protest against the refusal of the state government to clarify the issue. The BSP also opposed the move.
Meanwhile, the UP Udyog Vyapar Mandal had also announced statewide demonstrations against the order on June 20 if the same was not withdrawn.
The government order has already evoked a strong reaction from all sections of society. Owners of shopping malls have categorically stated that they would use diesel-run generators to keep their shops open till the prescribed time of 9 pm while single shop traders have also said that early closure in summer would hit their business hard.
Restaurant owners, who had been asked to shut down by 10 pm, were equally resentful of the order and said they would approach the chief minister in this regard. “In this scorching heat, people step out of their houses much after 7 pm when it turns cooler. If we shut malls and shops at 7 pm and eateries at 10 pm, we might as well shut them down permanently,” said a shopping mall manager.