COVID-19 dampens Ramzan festive mood

COVID-19 has dampened the festive mood within the buying hubs within the metropolis on the eve of Ramzan on Thursday.

The festive mood was clearly lacking in One Town and different industrial areas. Not a lot exercise was witnessed close to masjids as properly the place non secular texts and different necessities are bought. Traders lament that not even traditional enterprise is going down, depart alone Ramzan pageant gross sales.

“Last year’s lockdown saw a complete closure of Ramzan activities. This year, the police gave us permission to open shops. But, there are no customers,” says Suleman, a shopkeeper at Panja Centre right here.

While curfew restrictions are in place on the one hand, rumours that there’s a “COVID outbreak” at Panja Centre spoiled the mood on the opposite. “People are not venturing out. There is a dip in sales by 75%,” Mr. Suleman says.

“I have more stock than customers,” says G. Prasad, a flowery store proprietor. The counter collections was greater than ₹30,000 on the eve of Ramzan. During Ramzan season, the gross sales was between ₹2.5 lakh and ₹3 lakh. This 12 months, it’s not even ₹40,000. Though the store was opened by 6.30 a.m., the gross sales didn’t cross even ₹.4,000,” he says.

“Look at that semiya seller. His situation is worse,” Mr. Prasad says pointing his finger at Osman. The roadside vermicelli vendor recollects that he used to promote not lower than 1,000 kg two years in the past. Last 12 months, there have been no gross sales in any respect as a result of lockdown. This 12 months, 100 kg of semiya was placed on sale. Of this, nonetheless 10 kg vermicelli is unsold. Except distributing it to mates and family members, there isn’t a different possibility, he says.

Mr. Suleman says clients and distributors from close by locations within the district had not turned up this 12 months. Their share of gross sales alone was 50%, he says.

“People have no money and are not witnessing any business. They are celebrating with whatever is available. That is the situation now,” he says.

“This year is much worse than last year, which witnessed lockdowns. One can see deserted streets and shuttered shops. No trader, or for that matter a commoner, would have suffered so much. These two years are the worst part of our lives,” sums up Mr. Prasad.