Chennai: Tamilnadu Vanigar Sangankalin Peravai president T Vellaiyan has urged the State government to put an end to anti-trader acts as the retail traders were badly hit in view of the Covid-19 pandemic induced lockdown.
Talking to reporters here, he said retail trade has been badly hit in all the districts, and all of them right from grocery shops to tea shops, has to fight with full vigour to get back the livelihood which took a beating during the lockdown.
At a time when the government should work in support of the traders to enable them to come back from the lockdown, the government has been restoring to harrasment like imposing hefty fines if any of the consumer comes to the shop without wearing facemasks, besides demanding payment of industrial tax from 2018.
“These are totally unjustified and the authorities should drop such measures”, Vellayan said, adding, all the officials, including in Corporations, Municipalities and Panchayats, besides those shops functioning under the government departments like HR and CE, should stop from forcible collection of rent.
He also urged the government to waive off the rent for the period April to September in view of the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown, in the interest of the retail traders.
He also wanted the banks to waive the interest component on the loans given for retail traders for the lockdown period and stop harrassing of lorry and truck owners who had risked their lieves and ensured that essential items reached the people during the lockdown.
While welcoming opening of the wholesale Koyambedu market, which was closed after it became a Covid-19 hotspot, in a phased manner, Vellayan wanted the State government to make alternate arrangements for 80 per cent of the traders, who could not open the shops in view of the resitrictions.