By Renuka Dhakal

Kathmandu, June 10: With the government planning to ease the lockdown many people have been excited but the government has not decided on a modality yet to partially relax the lockdown.
Prdeep Kumar Phuyal 38, a resident of Dhumbarahi, has been eagerly waiting for the normalcy as before.
He is praying for the situation to return to normal as before the lockdown and coronavirus outbreak.
He said the government should partially ease the lockdown, especially in the areas or districts less affected by COVID–19, while strictly closing the open boarders and international flights till things return to normal.
In Nepal, the complete lockdown has begun since March 24, leaving many people in an unprecedented disruption.
From daily wage earners to traders, financial problems are getting more severe by the day. Wage earners are compelled to depend on organsations or relief packages from kind-hearted individuals for their meals.
The savings of the lower middle class and middle class people are also running out.
Businessman from New Road Subash Gautam said that there was no other option but to open the lockdown. “We have already faced a major crisis in our business,” he said.
“Bank loan is one factor, shutter rent to the owners is another, containers of goods brought from China are stuck and we are unable to file for customs clearance because of the lockdown,” said Gautam.
“The situation is deteriorating and we are not getting any support from the government. And, it is an alarming sign that many traders will go bankrupt if this situation continues for a long time,” said Gautam.
“Looking at the current situation, we don’t know when this pandemic will end. In such uncertainty, people are dying of hunger rather than disease, so I see the need to open lockdown,” said Gautam.
Likewise, advocate Lokendra Oli said that with caution lockdown should gradually be lifted because there are a lot of people who fully depend on their daily wages. “Initially, it should be open only within the district. And by looking at the condition for 10 days, the lockdown could be gradually lifted in other areas,” said Oli
He further said the threat of COVID- 19 was greatly amplified. Therefore, by paying attention to the risk factors as well, lockdown should be eased, he said.
“The working class people will be in a big trouble when it is always closed, it would be better to look at all these and should proceed for relaxing the lockdown,” said Oli
Similarly, MBA Finance student Saujan Gyawali also said that the lockdown should be lifted. He said that lockdown should open to run the economy. Extended lockdown is not a solution for long run.
“There must be government encouragement to operate in hygienic way along with safety.

We are slowly heading towards new normal so every citizen must be aware of such things and act accordingly,” he added.
Gyawali further said that the government should first partially open the lockdown and finally open sensitive areas like universities and schools.
In this regard, Finance Minister Dr Yubraj Khatiwad also said that economic activities must be carried forward by fighting against coronavirus while addressing the annual celebration of the Nepal Security Board (SEBON) through audio-visual medium on Sunday.
Paradoxically, there are a lot of challenges to ease lockdown or keep it on. The government is under immense pressure from all sides to ease the lockdown.
People from all walks of life are in dire financial straits so they are demanding to ease the prolonged lockdown.
The government has given the responsibility of preparing a modality to resume businesses and ease the lockdown to High Level Coordination Committee (HLCC) formed to prevent and control COVID -19, but the committee has not come up with any concrete plan yet.