A week from now, and it will be a month since M.A. Sanoj, a vegetable vendor, had shut down his two shops at Polakkannam market in West Kochi.
Initially, the shops were closed for 14 days when the ward where the market was situated was turned into a micro containment zone after a person was infected last month. Even as he was about to reopen shops on July 29, a couple more turned positive, further delaying the reopening for another fortnight. And since then the entire West Kochi has been declared a containment zone.
“Even before the shops were shut, the business had dropped considerably probably because people’s income was hit by Corona. Reopening shops will not be easy as I will have to start from scratch as I had sold my entire stock to other vendors,” said Mr. Sanoj.
Tales of distress are aplenty in West Kochi where a great majority are daily wage earners and now remain trapped inside the containment zone.
K.H. Haneesh, an employee with a mobile tower servicing company, has no clue whether his job will be in tact when he returns. He had not been able to report for duty for the past ten days since Panayapally ward, where he resides, was turned into a micro containment zone.
“The authorities are talking about shops of essential items being allowed to function and goods being delivered at doorsteps but then where will the money come from. Except for a private group that distributed 1,000 kits, no help had been yet forthcoming,” he said.
Aneesh Mattancherry, a social activist in the area, warned that a people’s rebellion akin to the one witnessed in Poonthura could not be ruled out in West Kochi if no intervention is made, which if anything will be a reflection of their desperation.
“By the government’s own account, there are nearly 13,000 homeless people in West Kochi, which means most of them are living in rented dwellings. With their livelihood hit by containment, how are they expected to pay that rent. Whatever help people getting now is from some voluntary organisations and people abroad interested in the well-being of West Kochi,” said Mr. Aneesh. He lamented that passes were not being issued to even genuine candidates who had signed up with the government portal for volunteer work.
Valsala Gireesh, councillor of Karuvellipady ward, said that while there are inescapable hardships, people have to realise that restrictions were for their own safety.
“The government is now taking steps to pay two months’ welfare pension and to supply free Onam kits through Supplyco in West Kochi. A hall has been taken for packaging the kits,” she said.
