Say strict norms, pledge by students have hit business hard

Ludhiana, November 4

Firecracker dealers here have alleged that they have suffered huge losses as the police and the district administration did not allow all dealers to set up shops in the wholesale market.
The dealers have said Diwali is the time when they do real business but just 13 shops had been allowed to be set up in the market. Many of them had invested huge sums, but they were told very late that just 13 shops would be allowed to be set up in the wholesale market.

The administration has allotted shops adhering to the High Court’s decision.

‘Everyone should get chance to do business’

Talking to The Tribune, Pradeep Kumar, president of the Cracker Dealers Association, said about 40 days prior to the festival, they started with all business preparations. “Approximately Rs 25 lakh are spent to set up a shop and to hire workers. We requested that two or three dealers be allowed to use one space allocated by the administration, so that everyone gets a chance to do business. But that was not agreeable to the authorities, who maintained that the High Court has asked to provide 20 per cent quota and they will adhere to the Court’s directions,” said Kumar.

Goon menace

Another dealer, Sanjay Kumar said miscreants had “looted” their stocks in the past few days. He said earlier when 50-60 dealers set up shops, they would hire around 2,000 persons to assist them. “But now we are left with just 400-500 persons and miscreants take away crackers without paying us. We cannot say no to them as they are accompanied by musclemen. On our request, the department has provided us with 15-20 policemen. Still, we fear these miscreants,” said Sanjay.

The shopkeepers said the pledge by schools students to celebrate a green Diwali, too, had hit their business to a great extent. There is a dip in the sales by up to 50%, they said.

Courtesy By :- The Tribune