A Ramadan sans Haleem in Hyderabad

This Ramadan, Hyderabad will miss season's flavour Haleem as the hotels have decided not to make or sell the lip-smacking delicacy in view of the ongoing lockdown to check the spread of coronavirus.

Hyderabad, April 22 This Ramadan, Hyderabad will miss season's flavour Haleem as the hotels have decided not to make or sell the lip-smacking delicacy in view of the ongoing lockdown to check the spread of coronavirus.

With just a couple of days to go for the beginning of the holy month and the lockdown in force at least till May 7, the hotels and Haleem makers have decided not to make the famous dish, which has been synonymous with Ramadan for several decades.

Some Haleem makers were toying with the idea of door delivery of the delicacy but the ban imposed by the Telangana government on food delivery platforms early this week compelled them to drop the idea.

"We don't want to take a chance, especially after an incident in Delhi where a delivery boy was allegedly tested positive," Haleem Makers' Association president Mohammed Abdul Majeed told .

Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao on Sunday ordered the shutdown of Swiggy and Zomato. He said the decision was taken in view of the reports that a pizza delivery boy who tested positive in Delhi infected 67 persons in Delhi.

Since the lockdown began, Swiggy and Zomato were exempted from restrictions and they were delivering food from some restaurants.

The Haleem makers were of the view that even if the lockdown is lifted from May 8, some restrictions like social distancing will remain in force. The ban on congregational prayers is also likely to continue for a longer period.

Religious scholars have already appealed to Muslims not to come to mosques for prayers and also do 'iftar'

( With inputs from IANS )