The Covid lockdown has spelt doom for all whose livelihood depends on social programmes. The bar on holding religious, political and other programmes beside delayed restricted permission for marriage functions has had a impact of such severity that more than 400 decorators, tent house owners and caterers of Dhanbad today decided to make a human chain near the district headquarters on Randhir Verma Chowk on September 23 seeking permission for participation of at least 300 persons during marriage functions.

The chain, of more than1500 persons, was done keeping all the social-distancing norms in place.

The decision to organize agitation, which began with a Dharna demonstration, was taken during a meeting of executive committee of, Dhanabd Zila decorator association held under the chairmanship of it’s president, Pradeep Singh.

Talking to The Telegraph Online after the meeting, Singh, said “All the participants of Dharna representing decorator associations from across the district including decorators besides, videographers, band party members, light mechanics etc besides the generator operators will be wearing, gloves, masks etc and stand in the circles made on the surface during the human chain formation”

“We are facing one of the worst period of our life and if the situation continues like this, we will be compelled to sell our equipments like generators, utensils for cooking food during the marriages, tents etc to sustain our life as we have lost all our savings during the last six months,” he said, adding that they will also put their assets like generators, musical instruments etc as exhibits on the street corner to express their protest.

“Despite lack of income we are compelled to pay godown rent for keeping products like generators, curtain, tents, bamboos, utensils, chairs, tables etc” said Singh and added that upcoming marriage season beginning from November is the last opportunity for them during the year and if the restriction of participation of only 50 persons during marriages continues then they will be deprived of any income and will have no option other than to start begging alms.

“The life of more than 1 lakh persons working as generator operators; caterer staff, band party members, electricians, florists, videographers, photographer, etc had been badly hit due to restricted permission for participation in marriage function and also lack of permission of other public religious and political functions” said Singh .

"With the lack of fund collection for over 250 puja committees the puja is also likely to be very low-key and our income is also likely to minimal during the Durga puja and in that condition if the restriction continues on marriage function it will be difficult for us to make both ends meet." he said