A “karma andolan” (work movement) has started in Assam during the lockdown to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
Hundreds of educated unemployed youths across the state are employing themselves in services and trades which they usually would have not have taken up, like hair-dressing, farming, tailoring and many others.
Salon owners have been flooded with requests from customers asking them to visit their houses following a state government notification on Monday that home visits by barbers would be allowed after following hygiene and sanitisation norms.
“People are calling me to their homes and I am providing service as a hair-dresser maintaining all protocols fixed by the government,” said Abhishek Moran, an unemployed youth, who has started working as a barber in Upper Assam’s Tinsukia town.
Hundreds of posts have been put up on social media either promoting these trades to indigenous Assamese youths or advertising these services.
An advertisement with contact numbers, website and email address reads, “Avail all kinds of salon services now from a unisex family salon at your doorstep. The trained professionals will ensure total safety and shall maintain all protocols for prevention of the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Hundreds of beauticians from beauty parlours in Guwahati are engaged in giving haircuts or a shave at home.
A post, which was widely shared on social media, said: “There are 33 districts in the state and suppose 26,000 villages. An average of five villagers get their hair cut in each village means 1,30,000 customers everyday. If Rs 50 is charged per head then the income earned would be Rs 65 lakh. There is a 42-day lockdown. It means Rs 27.3 crore will remain at home (state). This is only in villages, except towns and cities.”
Bijoy Byaghra, in his reply to the post, wrote, “There are innumerable jobs available in the state other than hair-dressing. Farming of fruits, pulses, cotton, paddy and vegetables and rearing of hens, ducks, goats and cows too. We will have to start small and those who are doing these work must be encouraged all the way.”
Jatin Kotki wrote, “I’m learning farming. Very good information. It is the sign of an economic revolution by youths in Assam. The work which was done by outsiders only, we will have to start them too. We will have to go ahead in all directions from hair-dressing to farming, education to science and technology, textile to trade. The new generations are starting karma andolan. The day will come when we will have to purchase only salt from outside.”
The Assam government had issued an advisory on March 18 to all deputy commissioners for closure of all beauty parlours and salons in view of the Covid-19 outbreak. However, some semblance of normalcy returned to Assam this week with the relaxation of the lockdown. People have started venturing out of their houses to buy essential commodities.