PRAYAGRAJ: Citing huge financial losses due to the second Covid wave and subsequent month-long lockdown, traders associated with over a dozen vyapaar mandals including Civil Lines Vyapaar Mandal and Prayag Vyapaar Mandal have demanded the state government to provide an economic package for their survival.
Over three lakh small and big traders have been severely affected in the Sangam city due to the lockdown and are seeking revival package and rebate in taxes to survive.
Traders also sought a rebate in taxes from the state government as well as the central government claiming that their economic condition is in dire straits despite relaxation in the Covid curfew since June 1.
Shushil Kharbanda, president of Civil Lines Vyapaar Mandal told TOI, “Traders community has not only faced huge economic losses in the second Covid wave due to the lockdown but there were many traders who tested positive for Covid-19 infection and spent money worth four to five lakhs for their treatment also”.
He further added, “As all businesses, except those who are in the category of emergency services, were closed during the lockdown, the traders had to bear all financial burdens like shop rent, electricity bills, employees salaries, commercial tax etc.
Once the lockdown was relaxed and shops were allowed to open from 7am to 7pm, the absence of customers has not only left traders puzzled but also compounded their woes.
The traders’ community is still facing the aftermath of lockdown.
Kharbanda, meanwhile, said, “Traders dealing in cloths and footwear business were worst affected and suffered huge business losses during the lockdown.
As the wedding season passed off without economic activities during the lockdown, traders dealing in footwear and cloths business are still finding it difficult to cope up with the existing expenses.
“Our entire market was shut during the lockdown.
We have our family liabilities to take care of and we have nothing to do to earn money” said a trader at the Civil Lines market adding that the nominal assistance the governments can do is provide an economic package to the traders who have suffered losses during the lockdown,” he added.
“Last year, traders faced a similar situation and exhausted our savings to survive.
Now, when things turned better after past August month, another wave of the Covid-19 pandemic this year hit the entire country and we faced one more lockdown with minimal savings,” said another trader.
Traders associated with Prayag Vyapaar Mandal said, “In such crises, governments must come forward to help traders and pause the taxes at least for six months so that we can recover from the losses once the economic activities get better or back to normal.” Traders’ unions have, however, demanded that the state government allow the opening of shops from 9am to 9pm so that customers could arrive at markets during evening hours and help traders do brisk business.