THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: For Mahesh M, children rushing to his bus to get to school has been an everyday sight for 14 years until the pandemic outbreak. It was more than a job for him. It was a responsibility, a promise to keep every time he picked them up from the school in Aakkulam and dropped them home.
“I used to drive private school vans. A few years ago, I bought a van for myself with the help of a bank loan and started taking school trips. But last year, due to the pandemic, schools were shut down and I lost my only source of income. I owned an autorickshaw but as I started getting a stable income from school trips, I left it unattended. It is now worn out and I need a good sum to get it fixed and get the insurance. There are no alternatives in front of me this time,” he says.
Mahesh’s family comprises his wife, two young children and his parents in their mid-60s. “My father is a lorry driver, but due to Covid restrictions, he is also at home. We live in a rented house and have to pay `6,000 for that. I am managing with money borrowed from friends and private financers. My liabilities, including the vehicle loan I took for the school van, has now come up to over `2 lakhs,” says Mahesh.
Lockdown diaries
Our state has been reeling under lockdown for weeks now. The government and police department may have their reasons for closing doors on many people’s lives and livelihoods, but that doesn’t make the trouble go away. Everyday, in this space, TNIE zooms into the life of one of us, beaten down by the pandemic-induced restrictions. Want us to tell a story? Write to the editor on kochicityeditor@gmail.com