Around 20 Tibetan refugees from Mysore are back in the coal town after two years with their wide range of winter wear products including jackets, sweaters, shawls, mufflers, rugs, stockings, gloves, monkey caps and others. Their return follows the inauguration of the winter wear market of the New Lhasa Market Tibetan Refugee Association today by Dhanbad MLA, Raj Sinha Dhanbad in the presence of a host of Tibetan refugee families.
Talking to The Telegraph Online GD Tamding (65), leader of the association said, “Due to the pandemic last year, we could not come to Dhanbad and this year too we had to shuttle between offices for close to two months to seek permission from the district administration. Due to the uncertain period we have also brought lesser stock of around two trucks only instead of the usual five to six trucks every year. Unpredictable sale weighs in our mind,” said Tamding adding there is no dearth of products in their collection.
“We faced hurdles last year due to the pandemic resulting in a dismal income from agriculture as the land provided by the government proves highly insufficient to bear the family expenditure,” said Tamding adding only 20 out of their 24 families have made it this time.
“We are coming regularly since the last 30 years in November and return after more than three months during the first week of February. We put up around 30 stalls,” Tamding elaborated. Tamding, who is here with his wife, son and other family members, has been camping in Dhanbad since the middle of September abiding by the documenting process running from one officer to the other beginning from Deputy Commissioner’s office to Sub Divisional Officers Office, Senior Superintendent of Police Office, Dhanbad Municipal Corporation office for permission to set up the market adhering to stricter Covid guidelines.
“I have been coming to Dhanbad for the last 30 years. We just wanted to bolster our bonding with the people of the coal town,” said Tamding, underscoring his close relation with the locals who thronged in numbers enquiring about the fare while they were putting up the stalls last week.
