The wholesale business of firecrackers has reportedly taken a hit this year. If claims of wholesale firecracker dealers at the Kurali market, one of the biggest in the region, are to be believed, their sale has dipped to nearly 70 per cent this season.
“Earlier, our business used to start picking up two months before Diwali with small-time sellers of firecrackers and retailers placing their orders well in advance. Now, only nine days are left for Diwali and we have just a handful of customers,” said Rohit Sood, one of the proprietors of Chaman Lal and Sons, a wholesale firecracker dealer.
Echoing similar sentiments, Balwinder Singh, another wholesale dealer, said they were seeing a slump in the market.
“Earlier, we had no time even to talk during these days ahead of Diwali. Now, you can see that we are virtually sitting idle,” he said.
The dealers blamed government policies for the slump. “The decision of the government to issue licences through the draw of lots and limiting the number of retailers has hit the business the most. Earlier, hundreds of small-time businessmen invested in this business with the hope of earning some money in the festival season. Now, the number of licences has been limited, hitting the business hard,” said Sood.
The action against illegal firecracker sellers by the local administration last year has also caused a dent in their business this year.
Officials had raided a number of illegal firecracker stalls across the district last year and confiscated all items. “This year, such small-time businessmen are scared of investing money in the business for obvious reasons,” said a dealer, adding that though the step of the administration was right, it affected their business.
Last year, over 150 illegal firecracker stalls were set up along the Kurali-Chandigarh road, the Kurali-Morinda road and inner markets of the town, while the administration had issued just four licences.
Kurali market caters to several towns
The Kurali market, which caters to retailers of several nearby towns, including Morinda, Mohali, Chandigarh, Panchkula, Ropar, Sirhind, Bassi Pathana, Fatehgarh Sahib, Kharar, Nawanshahr and some towns of Himachal Pradesh, sees a cracker business of nearly Rs 8 crore every year. Around nine dealers have licence in the market for wholesale business.
44 licences issued for stalls in district
The draw for firecracker licences was held at the Mohali Administrative Complex in Sector 76. According to sources, the administration issued 44 licences for setting up firecracker stalls across the district. Nearly 750 applicants had applied for it, said the sources.
UT Admn issues 96 licences
Chandigarh: The UT Administration conducted the draw of lots for cracker sites on Monday. A total 1,043 applications were received and 96 temporary licences issued for nine sites.
‘Sales used to surge much ahead of Diwali’
“Earlier, our business used to start picking up two months before Diwali with small-time sellers of firecrackers and retailers placing their orders well in advance. Now, only nine days are left for Diwali and we have just a handful of customers.” Rohit Sood, firecracker dealer
