Employees at Imphal shops expect salary for COVID-19 lockdown period

Imphal: Employees serving at shops opened in Imphal city expect to get salary for the Covid-19 lockdown period. As announced by the state government to ease the lockdown restrictions shops in Imphal city were opened on Monday.

As per the government order shops can open during 6 am and 4 pm. However the Ima markets (women markets) and markets at Nagamapal and Ngari Galli in the city centre  have been prohibited from opening.

“I have got my salary for the month of March without deduction even if our shop has been shut since March 21. We are expecting to get salary for the month of April before 10 of this month as usual as the owner gave a positive signal, ” a salesman at a garment shop at Thangal bazar told Pothashang.

The Imphal city centre covering Khwairamband bazar remaind shut since March 21 ahead of the nationwide lockdown that began on March 24.

A salesman working at a wholesale market told that he has got his salary for April on Monday.

“The staff would suffer if the salary covering the lockdown period is not paid. Our boss will consider it,” said Niranjan Das a manager serving at a gas stove items shop at Thangal bazar. He said as usual consumers turned up, but he cannot provide their demand as some items including gas regulators are out of stock.

A cobbler cum shoes marketer said, “I am indeed happy as the state allows us to open, but I am afraid if the government re-impose the lockdown. “Today I got some costumers who came to mend and polish their shoes. For today no one has bought any shoes,” he added.

Scooter and bikes servicing and repairing centres were also opened among others. A proprieter of one of the repairing shops opened at Khoyathong said, “We don’t have salary system, but we share what we earn with the mechanics. The lockdown was a loss for us.”

Some daily wage earners and manual labourers were also seen resuming their works in the city.

The entry points at city markets which were fenced have been found removed on Monday.

The shops were opened maintaining social distancing norms. People were seen wearing mask as they come out in the city.

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