THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi (KVVES) has demanded the government to allow shops and hotels to open up, with owners and businesses in the state feeling the heat of pandemic curbs. They have also called for compensation from the government for causing damage to their livelihood in the name of lockdown strategies.
KVVES questioned the efficiency of lockdown in containing the pandemic. “The government is yet to understand that lockdown as a strategy has no relevance beyond a point. Local transmission could be curbed only by keeping vigil at the individual-level,” secretary of KVVES, S S Manoj said.In the capital city, businesses have been closed for the past 22 days.
At present only shops selling essential items are allowed to open within a specific time period. The merchants registered their protest after the authorities said that it would continue the restrictions in the wake of rise in number of Covid-19 positive cases.
“Merchants are not getting any relief from the corporation and other institutions or from the banks,” state senior vice-president of KVVES, Kamalalayam Suku said.
According to him the banks were turning them away from availing loans even though the Central government offered fresh collateral-free loans.
In addition, local institutions are also levying huge fines for the delay in renewing licenses. “There will be more deaths due to the suicide than from the toll of coronavirus if the government did not mend its ways,” said Suku.KVVES demanded permitting of shops and hotels to open up by following the Covid-19 protocol.