With the lockdown going beyond a month, merchants are worried about the hefty sum they need to pay as rent even as shops remain closed.
The State government had recently issued an order waiving rents of establishments that functioned out of buildings owned by local bodies, various corporations, and government and semi-governmental organisations. However, there has been no consolidated decision in the private sector.
Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samiti State general secretary Raju Apsara demanded that landlords make a favourable move for those establishments that remained closed. He said landlords in Malappuram and Palakkad districts had decided not to levy rents and requested those in other districts to follow suit.
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“Most merchants are neck-deep in debt owing to the lockdown, and they are apprehensive about their survival. In such a situation, a waiver in rent will be a huge relief for them,” he said, adding that it should be a humanitarian decision by landlords at their free will.