Businessmen lament tepid sales this Diwali

Sanjay Bumbroo

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Tribune News Service

Panchkula, October 25

In view of the low sales, shopkeepers across the city say it’s a ‘thandi’ (cold) Diwali.

Sales of commodities — electronic, utensils, clothes and jewellery — have witnessed 50 per cent decline this year than the previous year.

Sahil Mittu, owner of Mittu Jewellers in Sector 4, said Diwali had failed to bring cheer to the business community. He said earlier, they used to purchase silver and gold items in advance, but due to 25 per cent increase in the prices, they bought items after getting orders from customers. He said the market was witnessing 50 per cent decline in the Dhanteras sales as compared to last year. Expressing similar sentiments, Suresh Kumar, a shopkeeper in Sector 11, says for any businessman, Diwali is a much-awaited festival.

“I visited the Sector 7 market today, but apparently, the festival of lights has failed to bring cheer to the business community. We have been seeing such a situation from the past three years after the demonetisation in 2016,” said Kuldeep Chitkara, president, Panchkula Beopar Mandal.

Chitkara said the consumers were less enthusiastic about the festival.