Waiting in queues dent income of labourers
Daily wage labourers are losing their wages to stand in long queues for onions
By : a. ravindra seshu
Update: 2015-08-27 07:37 GMT
Khammam: Daily wage labourers are losing their wages to stand in long queues for onions being sold by the government at Rythu Bazaars at the rate of Rs 20 per kg. Men and women working in the construction industry, loading and uploading, kirana shops, vendors and hotels have been lamenting loss of wages.
P. Mallamma, a fruit vendor said that she is unable to go for her regular work due to the two to four hours wait for onions. “I was forced to stand in the queue when the onion prices in the open market touched '70. The government is distributing two kilo onions to each person in the Rythu Bazaars. Many people stopped buying the onions in the open market fearing the huge burden on their pocket. People who feel they cannot cook without onions have been standing in the queues for two kg.”
C. Koteswara Rao, a carpenter said, “I stood for two-and-a-half hours to get two kg onions and my work will be hit with the delay. My boss will not allow me to work today.” K. Padma, a teacher, explaining the importance of onions in the kitchen said onions are basic to Indian cooking for taste and flavour much like salt.”