Beopar Mandal, others hold Tiranga march against Punjab govt, demand opening of shops to sell factory products
May 15, 2020
Ludhiana (Punjab) [India], May 15 : All Retail Association of Ludhiana, Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal (PPBM) and shopkeepers on Friday took out a Tiranga march against the Punjab government, urging it to open all shops, as factories cannot run until shops are ready to sell their products.
The shopkeepers said that they are unable to pay salaries, taxes, electricity bills as their business was shut for over two months due to the lockdown.
Gurdeep Singh Gosha and Sunil Mehra of Business Bachao Morcha told ANI that the government has allowed factories to open but factories cannot operate until the shops are opened for selling the products.
They appealed to the government to allow all shops to open with COVID-19 safety measures.
"Due to prolonged lockdown, our staff is also planning to migrate to their native places. We were supporting them morally and financially till now. In the absence of already skilled staff, the opening of shops will become a serious problem. Being small shopkeepers, it will become extremely difficult to look for new labourers," some of the shopkeepers said.
"As the government has allowed wine shops, industrial supplies, among others, it is requested that small shopkeepers are also allowed to open their shops," they added.
