Team Herald

ponda:The recent speculation about the possibility of the lockdown being extended has sent shockwaves amongst a section of locals who are worried about their own financial future and their ability to manage for until the end of the month.

From small hoteliers, to pilots, to rickshaw owners, to daily wage earners and industrial workers, they were initially hoping that the lockdown would end as per the original schedule itself. Many of them point out that whatever they would earn in a month would suffice for that month itself and given that the lockdown began in March and may now culminate by the end of April, they are worried about how they will be able to support their families and deal with the losses suffered in this period.

Some point out that they had obtained loans for business and the construction of their houses and are anxious about how they will be able to clear the same, without any income.

Mahesh Naik, a hotel owner pointed out that he had recently undertaken the repair and renovation of his house and is in trouble as neither is the house work complete or his hotel operating. He demanded that the government tries to find a solution to help Goans out of this mess.

Another local Sudesh Naik lamented that had the government begun medical testing earlier, they could have initiated a partial lockdown, which would allow some businesses to run.

The worst hit are the industrial and daily wage workers, who add that they have not received their salaries from the previous month and are facing an uncertain future.

One such worker, Vishal Fadte from Ponda, said that he has been finding it very difficult to feed his family and called for the government to provide the poor section with Rs 10,000 at least to offer them some relief.

Locals also called on the government not to charge power and water bills for the next two months.