SHILLONG, July 14: It has been exactly 75 days since strict containment measure followed by a total lockdown was imposed in Shillong after the state witnessed a significant rise in COVID infections propelled by a second wave of the pandemic. two and half months after the lockdown was imposed, the poor and downtrodden are caught between earning a livelihood and staying at home.
It was on May 1 when containment measures were announced in Shillong, Tura and Jowai after which the government announced a complete lockdown in East Khasi Hills from May 5 and weekend lockdowns in other districts.
The two-month long lockdown has posed several challenges before the middle and lower income groups of people who continue to suffer from the restrictions while there is no word from the government as to when the unlocking will begin.
The lockdown has affected people from every sector be it transporters, traders, hoteliers and even the hawkers.
A shopkeeper who runs a shoe shop in Iewduh lamented that shoe shops like his are allowed to open only once a week and on other days, he is forced to look for odd jobs to provide for his family.
Another hawker who sells his wares in the weekly markets in rural areas of the state said he has been sitting idle at home and has been struggling to manage the expenses at home.
Chairman of Meghalaya Joint Action Committee of Commercial Vehicles, Wandonbok Jyrwa was irked by the fact that local taxis are allowed to ply only once a week.
“With just one day in a week and four days in a month, how will our drivers earn and how will the taxi owners pay salaries to their drivers,” he said while informing that many local cabbies were finding it difficult to even buy LPG, kerosene or charcoal for cooking.
He also said that the local cabbies are likely to meet soon to discuss the problems and chalk out the future course of action.
M. Iawsai, manager of a city hotel, said that it is time for the state government to allow at least 50-70 percent tourists into the state since several states in the country including some in the North East have opened their doors to tourists.
“The hoteliers have suffered a lot in the last several months and there should be some respite to their sufferings,” Iawsai said.
Ahmed, a tourist taxi driver operating on the Guwahati-Shillong route has been sitting at home for over two months. He says his livelihood has been totally affected due to the lockdown and there is no help from anyone.
“We get a trip only if we have to drop passengers at the airport or railway station and we are allowed to ply with passes,” he said while informing that he made three trips last month and had only made one trip this month.
“On other days, I sit at home and do nothing. At least the local taxi drivers are getting help from MLAs but nobody thinks about the tourist taxi drivers,” he lamented.
A vegetable vendor who used to sell her produce in bulk to traders in Iewduh said that now she is forced to sell her produce on the pavement.
It may be mentioned that many states of the country including some in the NE region have started easing the restrictions but Meghalaya does not seem to have any such plans of easing out more activities.
The Nagaland government has started the second phase of unlock for seven days from July 11 (Contd on P-4)
Demand for unlocking grows…
(Contd from P-1) and even Sikkim has eased out the restrictions for tourists.
The neighbouring city of Guwahati with a huge population remains fully open till 5 pm daily.
West Shillong MLA, Mohendro Rapsang under whose constituency, Iewduh , the largest traditional markets falls pointed out that shops should be allowed to open now with necessary protocols as traders have been badly affected in the last two and half months.
He said that the shopkeepers would follow all the protocols but at least they should get an opportunity to earn something.
North Shillong MLA, Adelbert Nongrum also felt that commercial activities should reopen now but left it to the wisdom of the chief minister and people of the city to take a call and ensure that they follow all the SOPs.
He however maintained that cabbies have suffered a lot as they are allowed to ply only once in a week.
When contacted, East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner, Isawanda Laloo said that the administration has opened saloons, beauty parlours and barbers’ shops this week, as well as meat and fish stalls in Iewduh.
“In C&RD blocks in rural areas, days for opening as well as timings have been extended and public transport within the district will be further relaxed depending on the situation,” Laloo said.
Informing that the timings for opening of shops have been extended till 4 pm for most zones, she added that if positivity rate dips further, the administration can look at further relaxations.
“But since vaccination coverage is still low in rural areas and some localities of the urban centres and a number of cases are still being detected in many clusters, we advise people to be very careful and follow mask wearing protocols stringently,” the DC said.
It was informed that the private offices, educational institutions, non- banking financial institutions, chartered accountancy firms and insurance services have been permitted to open for urgent official works only.
“Takeaways as well as home deliveries are permitted though dine-in is still not permitted. Malls and shopping complexes have also been permitted to open,” Laloo added.
When asked about the relaxations, a senior official of the Health department pointed out easing of restrictions would depend on the positivity, COVID growth and hospitalisation rates.
He said that the positivity rate in itself has not come down significantly and even vaccination coverage has not reached its peak.
“We have only touched about 35% and we need to touch at least 70%,” the official added.
