Guntur: Petty vendors, hawkers seek financial aid

Guntur: Hawkers and tea stall owners are feeling unhappy due to closure of shops caused by lockdown. They said, they have suffered losses due to closure of shops and expressing feeling that it will take at least one or two years to recover from the losses. Samosa vendors, tea stall owners, petty businessmen saying that though they have opened stalls, business is very much less. Consumers expressing fear to come to the tea stalls.

They demanded to extend financial aid of Rs10,000 immediately. J Ramesh Naik, who is working in a tea stall at Brodipet in Guntur city said that he has no salary for the last three months. He borrowed Rs 40,000 to maintain his family. He said, after 70 days he attended duty on Monday. He said consumers are not coming to tea stalls as earlier, due to fear. If the same situation will continue, future would be bleak, he said.

He is worrying about his future. A samosa vendor Ch Siva Naga Raju said as per instructions of the officials, they have to maintain social distance at the shops. He said consumers are not coming as earlier. He said, "We have closed shop due to lockdown. During the lockdown period, the shop owner sent essential commodities and he borrowed another Rs 20,000 for his family maintenance. If the business is good, I will get salary. I don't know how to pay loan of Rs 20,000."

LIC adviser B Markandeyalu urged the Central government to waive interest and said simple interest to be charged for unpaid loan instalments. He said due to lockdown, petty traders and hawkers suffered a lot. He felt that there is need to extend helping hand to them.

A senior citizen Challa Anji Reddy said that there is need to set up Covid-19 testing centres at all important centres, shopping malls, RTC bus stand and railway station. He felt that if anybody having symptoms, they should be sent to quarantine.