DOHA: Several neighbourhood shops and eateries complain that relocation of labour camps and restricting workers in residential areas has affected business.
Some shop keepers claim say that their business has decreased by 50 percent, reported an Arabic daily yesterday.
Other shopkeepers say that majority of their customers were laborers and get very few customers. They say this has started to affect them more as rents have been increased.
Mohamed Walid an Indian eatery operator in Myther area said, “Majority of our customers were labourers. Now only few customers are coming, as many workers have left the area.” “They come early in the morning for breakfast, some buy even lunch and dinner from us, now all of them have moved from here” he added.
Some shopkeepers also sell items for labourers on a monthly credit to keep customers.
“Some workers don’t pay us on a daily basis but only once a month,” said a grocery shop keeper.
Also several shop keepers in the Al Rayyan area too complain about heavy loses in their bussienss. “We have lost at least half of the income after the labourers left the area,” said a shop keeper.
Another said, “We are loosing business and rents are increasing, it’s a difficult situation for us to handle.”
Law No. 15 of 2010 bans labour lodgings in areas where families live also differentiates between labourers and single workers. However, single workers not employed as labourers with a construction company are not covered under the law.
If a labour camp is identified by civic inspectors the camp operator will be given 30 days to vacate the place.
The Peninsula
