Sanjeev K Sharma
JAMMU, May 2: The ongoing nationwide lockdown triggered by the deadly COVID-19 pandemic has pushed the business sector of Jammu to unprecedented losses forcing the business community to demand help from the Government in the form of some waivers etc.
Businessmen, from industrialists to shopkeepers, when contacted, talked about the losses suffered by them in the ongoing lockdown.
“After the August 5 developments, the Jammu industry suffered immense losses as our money got blocked in Kashmir because much of our supply goes to Kashmir,” said Lalit Mahajan—president Bari Brahmana Industrial Association (BBIA).
He said while the industries of Jammu were finding a way-out for those losses, COVID-19 made its entry.
“Now as most of our industries are shut yet we are being asked to pay wages to the workers,” Mahajan said adding that only recently some industrial units have resumed functioning with one-third of workers as per the guidelines of authorities concerned.
“Under these circumstances we demand that the Government should give immediate relief package to the industrial sector so that wages to the workers can be paid,” he said.
The BBIA president further said that the Government should ensure interest waiver for three months to the industries.
“We also demand that industrial sector should be allowed to pay tariff for the actual power consumption and not the fixed power tariff,” he maintained adding that the power department is deferring tariff for some months for the industrial sector “which makes no sense as it will be a problem for the MSME sector.”
Mahajan also informed that SIDBI has given soft loans on 5 per cent interests to the startups and the same should be extended to the entire MSME sector.
When contacted Deepak Singh Katoch, General Manager of Mango Group of Hotels said the complete nationwide lockdown due to Coronavirus pandemic has almost crushed the hotel business.
“The ongoing lockdown was unavoidable to fight Coronavirus pandemic but the Government should now extend a helping hand to the hotel sector to meet the losses as being an integral part of the tourism industry, the hotel sector also employs thousands of people in different positions from waiters to top executives thereby reducing a considerable amount of unemployment,” he said.
“The Government should announce a financial package for hotel sector along with waving off the power tariff and taxes for the period the lockdown remains there,” Katoch further said.
Surinder Gupta, president of Raghunath Bazaar Businessmen Association—which mostly looks after the interests of the shops and other business outlets at the heritage bazaar of Jammu city, said lockdown was the only way left to fight Coronavirus crisis.
He hailed the authorities for efforts to lower the number of positive COVID-19 cases in Jammu and said that lockdown has badly affected the business of Raghunath Bazaar.
“For over a month the shops are closed and there is no hope for reopening in near future so our losses have naturally increased,” he said adding that the Government help now becomes all important for the small businessmen.
“We expect six month power tariff waiver, interest free soft loans to bring the derailed business on track apart from bank interest waiver and tax relief,” Gupta further said.
T.S Wazir, Chairman J&K Transporters Welfare Association when contacted said, transporters dealing with passenger vehicles are suffering heavy losses in the ongoing lockdown.
“Government should waive off bank interests for the lockdown period along with other taxes as none of the vehicle has moved during the lockdown,” he said.
Pertinent to mention here is that many transporters have purchased vehicles by securing bank loans and now they have to pay the installments with interest.
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