Jalandhar's sports goods manufacturers feel the heat of Manipur crisis

Aakanksha N Bhardwaj

Jalandhar, August 9

Due to the Manipur violence, businesses in Punjab are affected, too. The payments are due and there are no new orders. From Jalandhar, sports goods like jerseys, valves and cocks and hand tools are supplied to the state.

Managing Director of Nivia Sports Rajesh Kharbanda said, “Manipur is an important sports centre. We are suffering because there is no sports activity there. We hope the situation will get normal soon.”

Hope things get normal soon

Manipur is an important sports centre. We are suffering because there is no sports activity. We hope the situation will get normal soon. —Rajesh Kharbanda, MD, Nivia sports

Mukesh Kapoor, owner of a sportswear company, said 40 per cent of his work was based in Manipur and he has been supplying goods to the state for last more than 25 years.

“I last went to Imphal in February. Every three months I visit there on business tours. Now, payments for the previous orders are due and nobody has given new orders. If I ask them for payment, they tell me to wait till the situation comes under control,” he said.

Another sports jersey manufacturing firm owner Ashwani Sharda said dealings of up to Rs 10 lakh are done by him in Manipur every year and it has been two decades since he is associated with the Manipur market.

“I visited there in March. Now, there is uncertainty. This situation will affect business in the future too,” he said.

The proprietor of a valves and cocks manufacturing company Shashi Kochar said there had been no work for the last three months. “Our payments are blocked and we are unable to contact anyone there,” he said.