No work, salon owner struggles to feed family

Amit Khajuria

Tribune News Service

Jammu, May 22

The relaxations in the lockdown 4.0 have brought no relief for Dev Raj, 31, a barber in the Roop Nagar locality of Jammu city, as he is still not allowed to open his shop.

Though he has somehow managed for the past two months with his savings, he has started to run out of patience. Dev Raj’s family of three, along with the families of his two helpers, is heading towards starvation now.

In the extended lockdown, the UT administration has allowed barber shops, salons and parlours to open in all areas except within the limits of the Municipal Corporations in red and orange districts. Jammu district falls in the orange category and Dev Raj’s shop is located within the Jammu MC limits.

He comes to his shop daily, sits outside for some time and goes home disappointed.

“It has been two months now, I haven’t earned a single penny. There was no support from the government and we do not see any hope of the revival of our business in the coming days,” he said.

Raj used to earn about 15,000 a month, but he has a debt of Rs 50,000 now.

“I used to pay about half of the salary in advance to my helpers, but now it has become difficult for me to even feed my family. Bills and loan installments for the last three months are unpaid. I have taken loan from some relatives and friends,” he said.