Hoteliers threaten to defy weekend curfew

Bengaluru: Hoteliers, restaurants and eatery owners from different parts of the State have decided to defy the weekend curfew imposed by the government to control coronavirus spread, by keeping their establishments open this weekend.

In a meeting held at Gayatri Vihar in the city, the hotel and bar and restaurant owners appealed to the government to allow 50 per cent occupancy in the restaurants during the weekend curfew.

Leaders of the various associations and Federation of Associations of Hotel Owners of the State stated that during every problem, Covid or otherwise, the government was targeting the hotel owners. While they allow big political rallies, poor hotel owners were being penalised. They said they will give an ultimatum to the government to announce relaxation of occupancy levels in hotels, bars and restaurants.

Divakar Sanil, president of the Udupi Zilla Varthakara Hitharakshana Vedike, a traders' forum, said that several businessmen committed suicide because they were unable to bear the losses they incurred during the previous lockdown period and that the weekend and night curfews were no longer a viable option for reducing Covid spread. "Imposing trade restrictions when political and religious events are taking place without much restraint is not fair," he lamented to reporters here on Thursday.

Divakar believes the government should have given considerable consideration to the consequences before imposing weekend and night curfews. "Udupi is a modest commercial centre. The massive crowds at stores are unavoidable here. Despite these realities, the state has enacted a weekend curfew without distinction".