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COVID-19 impact: Business has not picked up before Durga Puja in West Bengal
Unlike every year, Mintu Pal, a famous 53-year-old idol maker in West Bengal has experienced a 60 per cent loss in his business ahead of Durga Puja while Vinay Ganguram, owner of a 150-year-old sweet shop, intends to diversify his business so that it could survive extraordinary situations like coronavirus.
New Delhi: Unlike every year, Mintu Pal, a famous 53-year-old idol maker in West Bengal has experienced a 60 per cent loss in his business ahead of Durga Puja while Vinay Ganguram, owner of a 150-year-old sweet shop, intends to diversify his business so that it could survive extraordinary situations like coronavirus.
In West Bengal, Durga Puja is celebrated in a grand manner. Every year, nearly 37,000 pandals are set up and bring an economic boom.
However, the year 2020 has left the businesses declining even in the festival season. To gain insight of coronavirus impact on their businesses, ANI spoke to locals associated with various professions in West Bengal.
Mintu Pal has been making idols and pandals for the past 32 years. Every year, he starts the preparation 5-6 months prior to D-day. Pal said, "There was no business around that time, and even now, we have seen a drop of nearly 60 per cent in our business."
"The sizes of the idols have reduced from 10-15 feet to 6-7 feet and the cost has reduced from Rs 1.50 lakh to Rs 50,000," Pal said. "The cost and demand have come down after the associations reduced their budgets."
The idol-maker has made 35 idols for the celebration in the state this year. He also ships his craft to international customers in the United States, France, Australia, Italy, West Indies, among others.
This year, Pal is making a Jungle Book-themed pandal in FD park, Salt Lake City, costing somewhere around Rs 2.5 lakh. The pandal cost has reduced to 50 per cent, he said adding, "We do not want to make much profit this year but to let people celebrate the festival."
On this year's celebration, Subir Das, a member of the Bhowanipur 75 Palli committee said, "The number of the pandals will remain the same but the only difference one will see is their size and volume."
The state government also provides financial assistance to the registered committees as it gives an economic push to the state.(ANII)