Unrest in state hits sale of crackers, fancy lights

The wholesale market of crackers at Burlton Park wears a deserted look in Jalandhar on Sunday. Tribune Photo: Sarabjit Singh

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, November 8

Due to the prevailing unrest in the state, firecracker sellers and traders of fancy lights are suffering huge losses ahead of Diwali.

Further, due to the appeal by Jathedars of Takht Hazoor Sahib and Takht Patna Sahib to Sikhs to not light up their houses and abstain from bursting crackers on Diwali as a mark of resentment over sacrilege incidents, there is comparatively very less activity in markets this year.

Those who had bought crackers months in advance are now clearing their stock in loss. A firecracker dealer said the crackers were selling cheaper here in the Malwa region in comparison to prices in Delhi.

Satish Kumar, a local firecracker dealer, said, “Every year I used to earn good money from the sale of crackers before Diwali, but this time the sale is almost nil. Now, I am clearing the stock in losses in neighbouring towns because it is a risky job to store crackers for a long period. The law and order situation has hit our business badly.”

He said the sale of crackers during Dasehra was also very less.

There are hardly any buyers for decorative lights in markets. “Diwali is around the corner, but the sale of fancy lights is yet to begin,” said Gurmeet Singh, who deals in decorative lights.

Various Sikh organisations have already announced to observe a ‘black Diwali’ this year due to the desecration incidents of Guru Granth Sahib and the killing of two Sikh protesters in police firing.

Courtesy: The Tribune