Residents want Sunday lockdown to go

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, June 20

A complete response was observed during the lockdown on Sunday in the city with a view to contain Covid-19, but people from different walks of life want that it should be lifted.

Rickshaw pullers and auto drivers said curbs and fear of getting infected have already dented their income. They complained of struggling hard to make both ends meet in these circumstances.

Rajesh Kumar, an auto driver, said lifting the lockdown may have provided relief to many professionals, but their source of income remain limited as all educational institutions are still closed. All these odds are amplified with the fact that the diesel price is hovering at its highest.

Navdeep Singh, a restaurant operator, said dine-in has been allowed by the government, but it was yet to bring in a good number of customers. He demanded that the Sunday lockdown be lifted to bring in more customers. He said families love to eat out on Sunday as people go to work on all other days.

Piara Lal Seth, president of Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal (PPBM), urged the government to lift the lockdown on Sunday as well. He said the pandemic induced restrictions and lockdown impaired the business badly and both union and state governments were reluctant in coming forward to help out micro and medium businesses. He said: “All wholesale markets remain open in the city on Sunday to felicitate buying for customers coming from rural and remote parts of the district.”