Masks slipping-off, COVID slipping-in

Kerala is now officially in the 2nd wave of COVID-19. The numbers are rising and the peak seems to be a few more days away. As our masks slipping-off, COVID is slipping-in!

It has been 6 months since our movie theatres were closed. There was no movie released during school holidays and Onam. Most likely there will not be any releases during the imminent Puja & Id holidays. Christmas also is doubtful. The industry is passing through its toughest time. Regal Cinemas, the 2nd largest movie chain in the United States shut their doors recently. Going by that, how many theatres will reopen in Kerala is to be seen. Except for the financially stable, all the cast & crew behind movies are struggling.

It’s the same in the tourism industry. The hotels and resorts missed domestic tourists during the school holiday and Onam seasons. From October till February, it is the time for International tourists. They would also give this season a miss. The industry is going through a crisis not soon after the Kerala Flood in 2018. Many are turned jobless. A large number of self-employed people with rentals cars, buses and boats are jobless, piling up loan interests on their side. Then there are the allied sectors - the travel agents, guides, people offering crafts, the wayside restaurants, street hawkers and so on.

People eking a living out by owning and running public transport buses are also reeling. They are putting up a brave face by ensuring skeletal operations. But that would only meet their basic expenses.

While people are losing jobs, the expatriates back in Kerala are looking for jobs here. Few expatriates are becoming industrious on their return, even trying their hands in ganja smuggling! The domestic migrants who were working here may not find it easy to get their jobs back when they return.

The times are tough but we can be adventurous wherever possible. An example is the attempt by Andhra Pradesh government to allow floating casinos near Vizagapatnam coast. Casinos near Goa state are profitable. Why don’t we consider floating casinos near Kerala coast?

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