No relaxations, cloth traders stare at losses in peak season

AMRITSAR : Cloth traders in the city, known for its wholesale trade that generates ₹15,000 crore of business every summer season, are worried that peak business season that starts after wheat harvest is passing them by.

With the Covid-19 pandemic forcing a long lockdown and relaxation for business not coming through from the government, they say they are staring at financial ruin. Amritsar district, though, has been in a red zone and has the highest number of cases in the state.

As for the cloth trade, over 5,000 wholesalers are dependent on it across 50 markets in the city. The markets around the Golden Temple, such as Katra Ahluwalia Bazaar, Tahli Sahib Bazaar, Shastri Market and Katra Jaimal Singh Bazaar are the hub for cloth trading in the state, with retailers also picking up stock.

Amritsar Federation of Cloth Wholesalers chairman Jatinder Singh Bhatia says, “We are an agro-based economy. Farmers usually buy clothes after selling their produce. We have stocked summer clothes. If we are not allowed to open our shops and outlets, we will have to bear huge losses.”

He added that by June, they usually sell their summer stock, but this seemed a remote possibility this year. “Agriculture is main occupation of people in villages, but the economy of Amritsar city is based on industry and cloth trade. Agriculture has been allowed, but those living in the city have been denied relaxation,” Bhatia added.

“5%of traders are indulging in running businesses illegally by opening half-shutters . There are videos of this illicit practice, which is also hurting us. The government must allow this to function,” claimed a trader Kanwaljit Singh. Another trader Lucky Bhatia claimed, “The government expects full taxes from us, but deprives us of running our business.”

Traders also claimed that the administration had demarcated shops in a single lane by labelling these A, B and C with only the shops named the same alphabet to be allowed to open twice a week. “Implementation of the system is pending,” said a trader, adding that if the situation did not improve, they would even stage protests.

› We have stocked summer clothes. If we are not allowed to open our shops and outlets, we will have to bear huge losses. By June, we usually sell our stock, but this seems a remote possibility this year.

JATINDER SINGH BHATIA, chairman, Amritsar Federation of Cloth Wholesalers