Srinagar- Ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, markets across the city would remain abuzz with shoppers but this time around things are different.
City markets are witnessing less flow of people and enthusiasm seems to be missing.
Most of the people cite inflation and back to back lockdowns as the reasons that have “broke the back” of poor and middle class people.
Shopkeepers say after two years of lockdowns imposed due to the coronavirus pandemic have hit the ordinary people hard.
“People find it hard to make ends meet”.
Another reason which people cite is the unprecedented inflation which is making it hard for people to shop ahead of the festive season.
“Usually around a dozen customers would visit our shops on daily basis which has increased to around 20 but ahead of Eid hundreds of customers were visiting our shops” said Zahoor Ahmad, a shopkeeper from Amira Kadal
He said that a number of people are thronging to the market but due to inflation they are unable to buy the desired items.
“A person takes an amount and thinks that he will buy three or four items from it but once he reaches the market he is unable to buy even a single item from it”.
Traders from other areas also echoed the same voice and said after three years Eid is being celebrated without restrictions and were expecting good sales this year but inflation has pinched poor people very much and they are taking only important items to meet their two ends.
They said that the dent caused to “our economy since 2019 due to lockdowns is coming to the fore now as it has made poor people poorer and they are struggling to meet their two ends.”
“Constant price rise is hitting the common man where it hurts the most and the administration has failed to take meaningful steps to curb the trend,” they said.
It has wreaked havoc on people, particularly daily wagers, hawkers, laborers, middle, BPL and salaried classes and depleted their savings.
In Lal Chowk, Srinagar, less number of people were seen on roads which otherwise presented a bustling look ahead of the Eid-ul-Fitr.
As per Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation’s report on monthly retail inflation, J&K has an inflation rate of 7.59 percent which is even higher than the national inflation rate of 6.95 percent. (With KNO Inputs)
Follow this link to join our WhatsApp group: Join Now
Be Part of Quality Journalism |
Quality journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce and despite all the hardships we still do it. Our reporters and editors are working overtime in Kashmir and beyond to cover what you care about, break big stories, and expose injustices that can change lives. Today more people are reading Kashmir Observer than ever, but only a handful are paying while advertising revenues are falling fast. |
| ACT NOW |
| MONTHLY | Rs 100 |  |
| YEARLY | Rs 1000 | |
| LIFETIME | Rs 10000 | |
