Who will pay our workers, power bills, ask shopkeepers

Ludhiana: The businessmen are terming the even-odd system of opening of non-essentials’ shops as a huge setback, as they will now be able to open their businesses for only 10-11 days in the coming month. They are at their wits’ end and do not know how they will be able to pay the salaries of their employees and power bills.
Businessmen say this system will leave them bankrupt.
Kamal Gupta, a trader from Sabun Bazaar, says, “We fail to understand how closing of non-essentials’ shops will control the coronavirus cases. Shopkeepers are already suffering huge losses due to low customer turnout ever since the lockdown. Now this restriction of even-odd will prove to be a disaster for us. This week, the odd number shops will be able to open for only two days. It will be impossible for us to generate income to pay even one day’s power bill and salaries of our employees. Will the government pay them? It is an illogical system and should be withdrawn immediately.”
Raj Kumar Singla, president of market committee of fastener suppliers, Gill Road, says “It is certain that along with confusion and chaos, traders will suffer huge losses. In September, both even and odd will be able to open for only 11 days. So, the government should also pass orders, asking the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) to charge us bills only for the days our shops remain open. Moreover, how can the government expect us to earn enough in 11 days to manage our living expenses and also pay salaries to our workers. If this system is not scrapped, thousands of shopkeepers and workers will find it hard to make ends meet.”
Manpreet Singh Bunty of Akalgarh Market says, “For more than three months, traders had to keep their shops shut. And when we were allowed to open them, another order was passed and Sunday was made a no-working day despite the fact that this is the only day when we register most of our sales. If this was not enough, now the system of even-odd has been imposed on us. The system should be withdrawn and we should be allowed to open shops at least from Monday to Saturday.”