Over 50 Dhanbad craftsmen, facing economic issues due to closure of exhibitions, staged a day-long protest at the Rajiv Chowk on Thursday, demanding permission for resumption of fairs across the state.

The protesters also also handed over a memorandum addressed to the chief minister Hemant Soren and Deputy Commissioner Uma Shankar Singh, demanding the same.

These people, including makers of Bamboo handicraft, jute handicraft, paper handicraft, wood handicraft, weavers, embroiders and dhokra artisans, are dependent on sale of their articles through stalls put up in exhibitions and fairs, and are facing their worst economic crisis since the Covid-induced lockdown.

Dharmjit Chaudhary, who led the Dharna on Thursday, said “More than a lakh of people across the state, including the around 10 thousand from Dhanbad, who directly or indirectly depend on the income through the exhibitions are facing difficulty in managing bread and butter since the last ten months. We are on the verge of starvation and some have drowned deep into debts, taking money from money lenders to manage the household expenses.”

“We ask the state government to allow us to organise exhibitions. We will follow all SOPs recommended by them,” he added.

Mahendra Sao (51), a Jharia-based jute artist said his income has gone down to almost zero after the lockdown. “I used to earn around Rs 20 to 25 thousand per month through the sale of different jute articles like table mats, wall mats and carpets. Now I have lost all my savings in managing the home expenses for seven family members.”

The emotions were common among protesters like Simaldih-based crockery artist Sanjay Kumar Barnwal and Jharia-based Raju Sao, who used to put up balloon stalls at fairs.

Barnwal said most of his sales were done during these exhibitions. “My family of four, including me, my wife and two children, have also turned hand to mouth due to the present scenario,” he added.

“No one in our family had ever imagined that we will have to face such a situation when fairs will be debarred for such a long time,” Raju said.