Tirupati: Necessity drives this couple to a new business

Tirupati: The Covid-19 prompted lockdown has made several footpath traders who depend on their daily earnings go jobless. With no way to resume their business for a few weeks, such traders are in dilemma and started looking at alternate ways to earn their daily income to drive away the hunger. After all, necessity is the mother of invention.

One such small vendor L Devagani used to sell second-hand clothes at the busy Gandhi road in Tirupati. He earns good amount whenever he goes out to sell clothes. His wife Parameswari cooks at two houses to supplement family income and have been educating their two sons happily. Suddenly, he had to stop his business due to lockdown restrictions. Giving another shocker to the family, his wife was also asked not to come for work from her employers amidst the fears of coronavirus making the family to end up with no income during this period.

Municipal Corporation's decision to make arrangements for selling vegetables at several places in the city has made them to think new. Without wasting time, they have decided to go for selling green leafy vegetables along with a few types of vegetables at the makeshift market on MGM school campus. Though this could not supplement their past income levels, they are contended with what they are getting now.

"From losing all hopes of getting any income, we started this business. This business is new for us. Still we are able to manage and earning around Rs 300-400 daily. We are happy as there are several others who could not earn even this amount," they said. Devagani said that now, the day starts at about 3 am for him as he needs to go to a neighbouring village to procure green leaves. They also buy Radish and other vegetables at another market in the city and start selling them at the school premises in Bairagipatteda area.

"There is much demand for green leafy vegetables as people knew the importance of consuming them. We are able to sell all the stocks before going home. What else we want in these difficult times?" said Parameswari. They have become an inspiration for some of their neighbours also who also started the same business now.