Diwali sales dip by 30% from last yr: Shopkeepers

BAREILLY: Shopkeepers and traders in the city are disappointed this Diwali. A day after ‘dhanteras’, they said sales were sluggish. They estimated that unlike previous years, during this time of the year, sales were down by 30% as compared to last year. They blamed the after-effects of chikungunya and dengue fever that gripped the entire state over the past two months for the lack of enthusiasm among people to celebrate the festival.Besides, huge medical bills had also dented shoppers’ budget to the extent that they were being forced to cut down on festive spending, they added.
Kavita Bava, who runs a decorative items store in Bada Bazaar in the heart of the city, said there was a perceptible lack of interest among customers in purchasing big Lakshmi-Ganesh idols. “We sell clay idols ranging from Rs 50 to Rs 2,000. I have been running this store for the past 30 years and each year, business would be 30% more than the previous season. But this time, 50% of our stocks are yet to be sold. Today, I am selling all items on post Diwali rates as it would be difficult to store them for another year. This year, most of the people are seeking only one pair idols of Lakshmi-Ganesh that too the smaller one,” she told TOI.
A regular customer of Bava’s shop, Suman Gulati, an elderly woman, said, “It is true that this year people from across Uttar Pradesh have been suffering from chikungunya and dengue fevers. There is hardly any family which has not fallen prey to these vector-borne diseases. Medical bill have dented our budgets severely and we have no other option but to cut down on expenses. As it is necessary to purchase new idols to observe the Diwali festival, we are in the market but preferring less expensive and smaller ones.
“There are still a number of families where one or more member is are suffering from chikungunya or dengue. In such a condition, people celebrate the festival half-heartedly,” added Gulati.
Sanjay Arora, who also runs another decorative items shop near Novelty crossing, had a similar tale to recount. He said people are opting for smaller Diwali lanterns and purchasing only a handful of other decorative items. He said attributed the fall in sales to the fact that this year Diwali is at the fag end of the month and this affects customers’ purchasing power. “Had the Diwali come in the first week of the month, the scene would have been entirely different. This year, Diwali falls on October 30 and service class people will get their salary after couple of days of the festival.”