E-Paper
Working in the times of coronavirus pandemic: Safely receiving payments is a challenge, say newspaper vendors
The newspaper vendor wonders if people will switch to the online medium and forgo the tangible paper
45-year-old Joginder Singh has been working as a newspaper vendor since 1988. However, the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak and subsequent lockdown have brought forth unprecedented challenges before him.
Joginder is responsible for distributing newspapers in the 40-50 colonies on Barewal Road. His workday begins at 4am when he and his brother collect the stock of a variety of newspapers from different drop points.
Typically, the two of them would have brought the newspapers to their shop where they would bundle them up for hawkers. However, as they can no longer open their shop, the newspapers are sorted on the verandah of their house.
His team, involved in the distribution of papers, then rushes to deliver them before 7am. Not a mean task amid the lockdown.
“After the outbreak, many people have refused to take newspapers out of fear of getting infected. However, the newspapers are sanitised before distribution. Nonetheless, there has been a 50% drop in business,” he said, adding,”Earlier, we would distribute 4,500 copies daily. Now, the number has reduced to 2,250.”
Ask him what propels him to continue deliveries in these challenging times, he says, “If we do not deliver newspapers, people will switch to online reading and the habit of starting the day with a cup of tea and newspaper will become a thing of the past.”
“It, certainly, is risky to get out of our homes but we are taking precautionary measures such as wearing masks and gloves, and carrying a sanitiser. The same equipment has been provided to hawkers,” he says.
“Our primary challenge is collecting payments from customers. We don’t have the phone numbers of many people and are brainstorming ways of conducting safe transactions,” he said.
“We conduct the collection of payments on the first Sunday of every month, but this time people are asking vendors to collect payment and coupons next month. The curfew pass is also only valid from 5 am to 8 am, in which vendors and hawkers distribute the newspapers. However, we do not have time to collect payments,” he said.
