Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 2 (IANS): The powerful body of the traders -- Kerala Vyapari Vywasayi Ekopana Samithi on Monday said that they are going to open their shops from August 9.

State president of the Samithi, T. Nasirudhin said they gave a lot of time to the government to sort out their issues.

"Nothing has happened and the so-called Covid package which was recently announced means nothing. We will be opening from August 9," said Nasirudhin.

The traders body has been up in arms since the last month and in the second week of July angry traders having their business establishments at Kozhikode launched a massive protest. They clashed with the police shouting slogans that they also want to live.

"Who will pay our debts. This cannot go on indefinitely," were the cries of protests that rendered the air at the once busy Kozhikode Mitayi Therevu (Sweet Street).

Even though the traders' body had made a similar announcement, they backed out at the last moment.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan after hearing about the traders' decision to open shops, by passing the Covid guidelines, spoke tough and warned them not to take things for granted.

Now with Nasirudhin coming out strongly, all eyes are on the state level monitoring committee when it meets on Tuesday to decide if they need to have a relook into its Covid protocol strategy.