Over 2,000 decorators, tent house owners and caterers, whose business has dried up ever since the imposition of the nationwide lockdown two months ago, have appealed to chief minister Hemant Soren and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to allow congregation of at least 200 to 250 people for social gatherings once the ongoing restrictions are lifted on May 31.

“We have suffered losses of over Rs 400 crore since the imposition of janta curfew, followed by imposition of lockdown and consequent cancellation of marriage functions besides political functions, meetings, seminars, conferences and doctors’ symposiums, etc,” said president of Dhanbad Zilla Decorator Association Pradeep Singh.

Singh said they provided livelihoods to over 1 lakh people who include electricians, generator operators, cooks, catering staff, band party members and florists.

“Disruption of our operations has also put a question over the livelihood of these persons,” Singh said, adding that in any case their incomes are largely seasonal and not spread over the entire year.

Singh said income for decorators had whittled down to almost zero since March 24 because of cancellation of functions.

“There is still one month left for the marriage season to end. If the administration allows congregation of over 200 people in marriages we can expect some income. Otherwise we will suffer a fatal jolt,” he said.

Echoing his sentiments, general secretary of the association Purushottam Kumar clarified that they weren’t advocating a blanket permission for congregations of 200 to 250 people. “Social functions may be allowed with riders and pre-conditions of following social distancing norms,” he said.

Kumar noted that besides decorators’ own staff, incomes of several others, like barbers, priests and florists, were linked to holding of marriage and other social and official functions.

“The crisis has hit decorators and tent house owners of rural areas like Baliapur and Tundi very badly. They don’t have earnings and many are defaulting on EMIs of bank loans taken for buying vehicles for transporting, generators, chairs, tables, tents, bamboo etc,” said Kumar.

Sanjay Sanwaria, a decorator, said they have always depended on government programmes. “Hence, we have demanded that the government to lift the cap of 20 people in congregations. Otherwise, we will be compelled to come on the road along with one lakh labourers and their family members,” he told the media on Thursday.