Ongole: Small traders want lockdown relief

Ongole: Small-scale industries, petty businesses, marginal farmers and skilled workers who operate shops are appealing to the government to provide relaxations in the lockdown period. They say that the three weeks long lockdown has thrown them into debts and despair.

Already in crisis, the slate industry in Markapur is facing threat to is existence. The number of micro and small industries dropped from 1,600 in the early 2000s to 250 now. The number of workers also reduced from 50,000 to 1,500, as there are no buyers for the traditional slates, owing to China products. B Venkateswara Reddy, a small scale industry owner said that the lockdown inflicted more losses on them forcing to go for private loans to protect the workers. He appealed to the government to allow them to work in the lockdown period and promised to follow every instruction by the administration.

Tolichukka Ashok is a barber in Ongole, who renovated his salon three months ago. He said that he took a loan of Rs 2 lakh from an acquittance and have to pay Rs 15,000 a month as installment. He said that he is unable to pay at least the interest due to lockdown.

T Rajya Lakshmi, a pushcart vendor who gets the plastic material from Guntur and Vijayawada on loan, said that she gets an average of Rs 100 to 120 per day after selling them. The rice, red gram, and others being offered by the government won't last long and the loan burden continues to increase, she said. If the government allows moving in non-containment zone while wearing masks and gloves, it will help to earn for a decent living, she claimed.

SMD Kaleem Basha, an ice manufacturer at Yerragondapalem said that the lockdown has increased the loan burden on him. He said that he is more worried about the private loan than the coronavirus. He promised to operate the plant with necessary safety tools as instructed by the government and appeals to allow them to do the business.

Kumari Venkateswarlu, a chilli farmer from Peddaraveedu said the crop ready for harvest but there is no labour available for them in time due to the lockdown. He said that the crop is now in the withering stage and appealed to the government to allow them to harvest and shift the available chilli to the market yard and sell it. He said that they are already in loss and the lockdown has increased the burden further.