Tailors & fruit sellers shift to other businesses to earn a living

LOCKDOWN DISTRESS

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The lockdown has grievously impacted small retailers, shopkeepers and street vendors of the city. Most of them were forced to shift to other businesses to feed their families during the lockdown period. Despite the relaxation on the lockdown norms, these people are still struggling to recover from the losses which they incurred during the period.

The Sentinel reached out to some shopkeepers and self-employed persons of the city to know their plight.

The fruit market in Beltola was closed in the first, second and third phase of the lockdown. During the period, the fruit sellers started to sell vegetables as fruit-laden trucks were not allowed to enter the State. However, after the relaxation, these people have again resorted to selling fruits. "It was becoming hard for me to feed my family as the fruit market was ordered to be shut down. There was no way out as we depend on daily income to take care of our families. Thus, we took permission from the District Administration and started selling vegetables. The lockdown had a major impact on our business. The losses have not yet been fully recovered," said a fruit seller from Beltola.

Noor Ali, who is a tailor by profession, recently transformed his tailor shop at Hatigaon into a fruit shop. He said the decision was taken after he was not getting even a single customer due to the corona pandemic. "Every year, I am mostly dependent on the Eid season. But this year due to the pandemic, I didn't get any customer and thus I have no option but to sell fruits," said Ali.

A ladies tailor from Kahilipara said her shop is opened just for namesake. Her business is down and currently she is making masks to run her family. "It is not possible to run my family by making masks. I hope that the situation will return to normalcy. Even during Eid I didn't get any customers," she said.

Niren Deka, a roadside tea seller from Ganeshguri, had a similar story to share. He also resorted to sell vegetables to feed his family of 6. He is currently selling vegetables and also selling tea to keep the oven burning.

Raju Nath, an autovan driver said that it was becoming hard for him to get three meals a day during the lockdown period. Thus, he started transporting vegetables in Guwahati. Though all shops are open, no trader is satisfied with his income. These people are an integral part of the State economy and also a lifeline of the city's working class. They stated that their sale has decreased by around 80 per cent due to the pandemic. Most of them said that they think that the market to be stable for the next three months.