While the last few days of the two-week Kanwad Yatra is proving a real challenge for the police and the administration, given the enormity of the footfalls, those running the industrial units based in the district are worried as the highways at the entry points of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana are closed, blocking movement of raw materials and finished goods. However, it is a boom time for a section of the local people like priests, hoteliers, fruit vendors and traders selling the kanwad items.
While the industrial activities are being adversely hit brisk sales are being seen at the main markets of Bhupatwala, Moti Bazar, Bara Bazar and that on Upper Road. The small-scale shopkeepers are nowadays busy catering to the needs of the pilgrims swarming in the city on the last few days of the pilgrimage. They say that around this time, they shutter down their normal business and sell the items needed for the pilgrimage, like pots where Ganga jal is collected, towels, vests, bells, rudraksh rosaries and the gift items, which the Kanwadiyas generally purchase for their families. As per these traders’ estimate, a Kanwadiya stays here for about two days and spends about `1,500 during the time of his pilgrimage.
Speaking to The Pioneer, SSP Krishna Kumar V K said, “Till now, nearly 2.5 crore Kanwadiyas have come to the city and gone back. They include 50,000 cart and bike Kanwadiyas who have reached the city today as part of the Dak Kanwads. However, the highway is still open. This is unlike the previous Kanwad melas when highway was completely closed during the last three days.”
The president of the district Vyapar Mandal Kailash Keshwani said that the Kanwad Mela has generated trade to the tune of `1,000 crore in the district. “Besides, it generates employment for thousands of people. Kanwad decoration expenses range from ` 500 to `1 lakh, depending upon the size and decor,” he said, adding that the craze this time for bigger Kanwad worth `1 lakh and more has helped the craftsmen with handsome incomes.
However, on the flip side, the production in the BHEl and the SIIDCUl units has come down since big containers carrying raw materials are not being allowed to enter the city. Speaking to The Pioneer, president of SIIDCUl Manufacturers Association of Uttarakhand Harendra Garg said, “The industries have incurred huge losses during this period which is to the tune of some `15 crores. Nearly 80 percent industries have closed down their business and for the past one week, the production is being hampered drastically in manufacturing industries.
The week before the last, the long-drawn transporters’ strike affected the local business and now the non-movement of vehicles has created dearth of raw materials for the industry. One cannot keep inventory for more than four days in case of some of the items.”
Auto-rickshaw drivers have a field day
There are still some others who are having a fine time during the last leg of the Kanwad pilgrimage. Among them are the auto-rickshaw drivers. With no public transport visible in the city in view of the hugeness of the swarming mass of the pilgrims, those who have to commute are hiring the auto-rickshaws and those running them make them to shell out anything that they demand.
Besides, those who have started small manufacturing units to make Gangajalis (plastic containers used to hold Ganga water) are also happy. Amit Sharma who is running a small cottage industry unit of Ganga jails in Jwalapur said beamingly, “We took a loan for the festival to procure plastic material from Ghaziabad much before the mela began.
Ma Ganga always takes care of us. We sell a gangajali for `10 and `15 to the retailers and they sell each for `20 to `30 in the market depending upon the size.”