Odisha: Jatra artists, gym and salon owners demand govt help

BHUBANESWAR: People from different professions including jatra artists as well as owners of beauty parlours and spas, gyms and coaching centres, whose livelihoods have been affected due to the lockdown, hit the streets on Thursday demanding permission to resume operations as Covid cases are going down in the state. They also demanded special financial packages as their income has been impacted due to Covid for over a year.
“We did not perform on stage for over 18 months. How long can we survive without work? The government should provide us some financial assistance so that we can survive,” said Daitari Panda, a jatra actor.
“Gymnasium is part of a healthy lifestyle and is very important to build immunity for people to fight the deadly virus. Besides, many health trainers have become jobless and those who had invested crores in the gym business are incurring heavy losses due to the lockdown. If states like Maharashtra, Kerala and Delhi can allow reopening of gyms following Covid guidelines, then why not Odisha government do the same?” asked Satyajit, president of All Odisha Gym Owners’ Association.
Hundreds of professional beauticians under the banner of Odisha State Beauty and Hair Association (OSBHA) also participated in the protest. “The lockdown has been harsh on everyone. If barber shops can operate then why cannot a beauty parlour or spa where Covid guidelines can be followed in a much better way?” asked Manisha Das, a beautician.
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