Farmers Movement Archive

No money to buy ration, street vendors hit hard

Jalandhar/Nawanshahr, April 29Jagtar Singh (66), who has been running a tea stall at Dana Mandi in Banga for more than 35 years, says this is for the first time in his life that he is finding it difficult to run his house.“I usually make some profit during this time as farmers in large numbers visit grain markets to sell their produce. But this time due to Covid-19 fear, nobody is buying tea or biscuits from me”, he said.He says everyday he puts himself and his family at risk and steps out of the house to open the tea stall with the hope that he may return having some money in his pocket.“Earlier, it would become difficult for me and my sons to manage rush during these days. We used to remain occupied taking orders and serving tea to one after the other customer. However, things are completely different this time. We have been rendered jobless and staring at a bleak future,” said Jagtar said.Like Jagtar, there are many small street vendors in the district who earn their living selling tea, coffee, ‘kulcha’, ‘panipuri’ etc and have been badly hit by the Covid-19 pandemic. There seems to be no sops for them from the government. They say they have been surviving by borrowing money on interest to buy grocery, as not all of them are eligible for financial assistance from the government. Neither they can avail loan nor they have the required documents.“I feel helpless as well ignored by the government as the ration they have been providing hardly lasts for 10 to 15 days”, said Kulvir, who sells burger near Urban Estate Phase II.He says he does not know how he will survive, pay house rent and feed his family of six as he has no source of income for over a month now.Another vendor, Raju, said his family was dependent on income from his ‘bhelpuri’ cart. “I have to pay my loans as well look after my kids and wife. How will the government reach him? Do the authorities concerned have any data on small business like his?” he asked.

The Tribune

2020-04-30