The Telangana State Hotels Association said the restaurant’s staff are being arrested and warned of operations.
The Telangana State Hotels Association (TSHA) – an association of hotels, restaurants, lodges, bars, cafes and Tiffin centers – has been charged with harassing and intimidating restaurant staff and executives in the delivery of food, particularly by the Cyberabad Police under Kukatpally -Border in Hyderabad, seek the intervention of the Minister of Industry and Commerce, KT Rama Rao, who is also the son of the Chief Minister. Expressing their plight in the face of the prevailing pandemic and the financial burden caused by the lockdown, they said the food and beverage industry was on its “last thread” hoping to survive on deliveries. TSHA claimed that while e-commerce platform delivery staff are allowed to move around freely, the executives they make deliveries for are identified and staff are intimidated. In some cases, delivery drivers are arrested with warnings not to work, TSHA said.
“This contradicts public statements by officials at all levels and also violates the GO, which is currently being implemented. In addition, several companies are running their own e-commerce platform and their deliverers are not allowed to move, ”TSHA said in her letter. Under the GO, issued May 11, delivery of all e-commerce and home delivery services was allowed. The association asked the minister to curb the police and stop harassing restaurant staff. “The food and beverage industry, retail and hospitality are on the last thread. Allowing some operations like deliveries and e-commerce leaves some hope of survival under the burden of continued contractual obligations like rent, salaries and other overheads, ”the association wrote.
Telangana has been in lockdown since May 12, and recently police continued to enforce a stricter implementation of the lockdown on orders from Prime Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. Although the delivery drivers are exempt from the lockdown, they have been physically assaulted in violation of government regulations and their vehicles have been confiscated by the police. The block is valid until May 31st.
Swiggy and Zomato’s services were suspended on Saturday, May 21, following a police operation against the deliverers. Services resumed on Sunday following the intervention of the Director General of Police. Since the “strict” implementation of the lockdown, there have been numerous complaints about police harassing people who provide medicines, even if they have the required e-passport.
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