Last Updated on May 15, 2021 at 8:32 am
Aijaz Ahmad runs an auto-rickshaw to make both ends meet. However, he has not earned a single penny in the last two weeks. He says that hunger will kill him if covid-19 doesn’t. Considering his financial situation, he couldn’t even celebrate Eid.
His father is sick and her mother needs constant medicines. Other than that, he also needs to look after his wife and one-year-old kid. Whatever he managed to save over these years has been spent. He relies on a local charity organisation for food.
COVID-19 has most negatively affected daily-wage workers in Kashmir. Muhammad Maqbool is a mechanic in busy Maisuma in city centre. Lockdown has hit him hard. He has two daughters and a wife to take care of. His family finds it hard to manage daily expenses.
Maqbool says that his family is not allowing him to go outside because of COVID-19 so, he can’t start doing labour work at any construction site. People like him are in a dilemma. If they go outside then there are high chances of covid transmission and if they remain at home then they will have nothing to eat.
President of Kashmir Trade Alliance, Ajaz Shahdhar said that the J&K administration has ordered traders and shopkeepers to close their shops but they have to suffer losses in great amount.
He said that recently Rs 25000 were announced to be given to move employees who would come to Srinagar from Jammu or stay in Jammu. He demanded that administration should also give money to traders and daily wagers.
He said that region has suffered an economic loss of around Rs 50,000 in the last two years. People who earn their livelihood through trade, industry, trade and tourism sectors in Kashmir have also been impacted.
Farhan Kitab, President of Retailers Association of Kashmir demanded that government must support them financially. He said that their sector is in a mess and people haven’t earned anything for three years continuously.
The Jammu and Kashmir government has announced that they will provide Rs 1000 per month financial aid to some registered workers.
