Bargarh: The streets are still dark and most people are on bed. However, activity has picked up in some parts of the city. Men, young and old, are busy bundling loads of newspapers as fast as they can. They are racing to finish their job before the city wakes up.
Newspaper hawkers are the faceless soldiers who beat all odds, be it rain or chill, to deliver newspapers at the doorsteps of people.
Achyuta Sar, 34, a newspaper hawker with a sweet smile on his face, gets up before 4 am daily in Bargarh municipality in Bargarh district. Achyuta, who has his spot at the Gandhi Chhak, started work when he was 16. He continued his Plus II along with newspaper distribution.
“I have not missed a single day of work. I don’t think that this is a minor job. My job has made my life regular.”
All these years his Luna was his trusted companion. Today it’s part of his job and identity. Fitness, he says, is a by-product of his job.
He goes to his customers’ houses at the end of every month to collect his charges. The customers welcome him saying ‘How are you Achyuta? He says this binds him to his customers with a sense of love and affection.
Achyuta reaches Gandhi Chhak at 5 am. Then he starts collecting newspapers from different agents. With bundles of papers he comes to his shop at Gurudwar Chhak. Achyuta’s brother Ajaya also helps him in his work.
He delivers newspapers at various shops, coaching centres, schools and residential houses in Bargarh municipality and returns to bus stand at 8 am and then discusses news with other hawkers.
Achyuta has made it a regular practice to check his daily accounts before going to bed. He says he started business with two newspapers a day. But now it has touched 350.
When Achyuta was asked about the impact of the internet on newspapers, he replied, “With the advent of internet, news is just a click away. But people still love to read newspapers and his readers are increasing.”
Achyuta said it is the affection of his customers that encouraged him to take up newspaper distribution.