SHILLONG: Authorities seem to be dithering in taking a call on reopening of Iewduh amid burgeoning financial pressure on traders who are going without any income for nearly three months since the lockdown began.
Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Saturday made it clear that since the ownership and jurisdiction of Iewduh falls under the KHADC and Syiem of Hima Mylliem, they need to take the first call at their level.
There has been no word from District Council or Syiem of Mylliem in this regard during past fortnight, even as shopkeepers and petty traders are being made to bear the brunt.
Exasperated by the downturn in their income, traders are increasingly getting restless. In the absence of a potent organisation to espouse their cause, the silent sufferings of the traders and shopkeepers have remained unheard.
On Saturday this reporter reached out to some of these traders for ascertaining their state. Most of them appeared to be desperate for early reopening.
“Before we will die of coronavirus, we will die of hunger,” lamented Mem Dkhar, a woman who sells spices in her small shop in Iewduh.
She rued that for the last two months, she has been sitting at home without any business whereas the pressure of meeting two ends and paying school fees of her children is giving her nightmares.
“I had saved Rs 10,000 for school fees and now I am using that money for our survival,” she said.
She said that most of the shopkeepers in the market are small time traders who live hand to mouth, earn in the morning and spend on foodstuff every evening.
“We are not getting any assistance and the only help which we have received was some rice and other essential commodities from the MLA scheme,” she said.
Another person who sells vegetables in the market and identifies himself as Raja Shullai admitted that his life has suffered a big blow and he is now forced to set up his shop wherever he gets an opportunity.
“When we sit police come and chase us and as soon as they leave, we come and sit again as we don’t have any option now,” he said. He pointed out that the state government here should acknowledge the advice of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi who had said, “We have to live with corona and we should maintain social distance.”
Bashisha Kharhunai, who sells Kwai in the market, said that though markets had to be closed amidst the pandemic outbreak, the government should make some stop gap arrangements and open it partially like the odd-even method being applied in nearby areas like Motphran, Lumdiengjri and Police Bazar.
The Bara Bazar Merchants’ and Shopkeepers’ Association has, meanwhile, taken up the matter with the chief minister and they have been asked to submit a memorandum on Monday.
The President of the Association, D Pandey said that the Association has pleaded with the chief minister to open at least one-third of the market, if not full, for effective social distancing. It may be mentioned that Iewduh has around 4000-5000 small and medium shops.
He said that a large number of families are solely dependent on their shop for survival, even as he pointed out that the Iewduh has been literally closed since February this year when curfew was imposed.
At the CM’s press briefing, he was asked if any economic support to the shopkeepers was possible. The chief minister categorically replied that the government cannot give any commitment on that aspect as it is a massive group, besides the government has already done a number of things to help individuals at different levels.
