It's strikemare for businessmen

KOCHI: Yet another strike will paralyze the state on Tuesday. And there are many around who will celebrate! However, it's not good news for business houses and shopkeepers, who stand to lose substantially if they are forced to shut down even for a day.
They cannot keep their establishments open even if they dare, as strike means transportation system slumps, which in turn means employees don't turn up. Most businessmen, therefore, feel the present mode of protests is out-dated.
KN Marzook, chairman, Kerala Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that if a shop in the city remains closed for a single day, its owner would have to bear a loss of about 10 per cent of his/her total sales.
"Whether an establishment functions or not, its owner has to pay the building rent, staff salary and bank interest. No businessman is exempted from paying this," he said.
Marzook, who dubbed strikes an out-dated mode of protest, said most shops in the city remain closed on strike days owing to reasons of security and lack of transportation facilities. "Most of my staff depend on public transport; they cannot come to work on days of strike. Without employees, how can one run a shop," the KCCI chairman asked.
Most of the shop owners say they are ready to keep their shops open if customers turn up.
NH Shameed, a vegetable wholesale merchant in Ernakulam Market, said that if his shop remains closed on a day, he will have to bear a loss of about Rs 30,000.
"Most of us have bank loans and such other liabilities that we have to settle by Saturday. If we are forced to close down for a day, our plans for the entire week get derailed," he said. "Last Wednesday also we had to shut shops as part of a protest; I incurred a loss of Rs 25,000 because of that," he added.
For most Kochiites, meanwhile, it is yet another holiday which they can spend with their family. Puja Menon, a homemaker, said that on strike/hartal days, all the members of her family would remain at home, and they have a good time.
"The only problem is that we cannot go out shopping or outing as most of the shops remain closed, and vehicles don't ply," she said.