The street sellers of traditional items sold during Ramazan like namaaz caps and mewa have been hit by dismal sales during the state-wide lockdown amid the raging second wave of Covid pandemic.

Readymade garment and footwear sellers are also facing the Covid induced slump in sales.

Md Sohrab, former president of Purana Bazar Chamber of Commerce, said, “More than 500-700 streets vendors of Purana Bazar selling these items used to earn the major share of their annual income through the month long sale during Ramazan, but this year there is almost negligible income for them.”

“A host of factors, including the apprehensions regarding Covid infection compelling people to remain indoors, lockdown norms preventing the opening of majority of shops, decrease in purchasing capacity of the people due to economic slowdown have led to the decreased sale of Id items,” said Sohrab.

“We, as part of the social organisation, Naujawan Committee of Purana Bazar are helping such people as the Id celebrations of these families who are dependent on these item sales have been badly hit,” said Sohrab.

Md Enayatullah, a perfume and namaaz cap seller of Wasseypur locality of Dhanbad said, “We have been operating our shop since the last 20 years and we used to earn Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000 per day during Ramazan except during the last year but this year too we have not earned more than Rs 500 on any day of Ramazan.”

Echoing Enayatullah’s sentiments, Ehsan Alam, a roadside namaaz cap seller said, “I am selling caps since the beginning of Ramazan but could not sell more than two to three caps per day as most of the customers who come, return it after asking for rates.”

“I used to work at a road side restaurant but turned cap sellers since the lock down of last year as all restaurants are closing during lockdown,” Alam said further.