VIJAYAWADA: After losing all hope, Prakash Shinde (name changed), a small-time trader in Vijayawada left the city along with his wife Sujata (name changed) and two children for his hometown in May never to come back. “We will beg on the roads of Latur in Maharashtra,” he said. But it is a different story altogether that he did come back to the city in July-end.
Earlier, he and his brother Prateek (name changed) sold China-made products in Vijayawada and earned a monthly income of Rs 15,000. We waited for a month in Vijayawada and following Unlock 1.0 in June, we caught a train and went to Latur. But nothing worked for us there; we never worked in Maharashtra,” Prakash said. Though, Prakash returned back, he had no idea what fate had in store for him.
“Initially, we struggled to find a room. I told my old landlord once we get some work, we will start paying him rent, but he refused. We spent the nights by roadside,” he said. His travails did not end here. His wife and daughter, who had tested positive for Covid-19 in Maharashtra, once again tested positive within 10 days after they reached Vijayawada.
“My brother, son and I tested negative, but my wife and daughter tested positive,” he said. His bad luck continued to dog him. “At least half of my worries are gone; my wife and daughter will get food free of cost for a fortnight at Covid care centre.” “After coming to Vijayawada, I contacted my supplier of Chinese products. But he said that the products are not available now. We had no idea what ban he was alluding to,” lamented Prakash.
Disappointed, Prakash and Prateek began hunting for jobs. Finally, after a month’s struggle, Prateek got a job of selling vegetables and Prakash a job at a construction site. “My brother met a person who said that he would give some vegetables to him to sell and take 40 per cent of earnings. With no other option my brother accepted the offer. With construction sites resuming operations, I got work near Mangalagiri,” Prakash said.