The Bidhananagar Municipal Corporation has declared that no fairs will be held at Central Park in 2020-21, demoralising not just visitors but also boutique owners and artisans who depend heavily on these fairs for their income.

“We shall not hold any fairs at Central Park in Karunamoyee in 2020-21. Some of the most popular fairs in the city like Saras Mela, Handicraft Fair, Taanter Haat and Bidhannagar Mela are annually held here but the state government has asked us not to accept any bookings for now. In case we already have bookings from early birds, we have been asked to refund the money," said Devashis Jana, mayoral council member, Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation.

This comes as a big setback to small-time businessmen involved in the handicraft and cottage industry who participated in these fairs for years. In fact, for many of them this was their sole source of livelihood.

Anjan Biswas, a 30-year-old weaver, has been setting up a stall called Fulia Sari Centre at Bidhannagar Mela for the last 10 years. “We have a huge customer base in boutiques of Salt Lake and Ballygunge and have been coming to Taanter Haat and Bidhannagar Mela for a decade now. But the lockdown has killed our business. Ever since the lockdown was declared in March we have not had any new orders,” said Biswas, who had to let go of his team of 30 weavers in April. “We are receiving dry ration from the local administration but have no cash in hand,” he said.

Boutiques of Salt Lake and New Town are also facing the blues. Most of them have workshops in their garages where tailors work on customised orders or block print tables. Abira Roychowdhury, who runs a boutique called Ranikahini near Laboni Estate, said that her business has largely shifted online.

“The shutters are down but I’m selling saris, blouses, jewellery online through Facebook and WhatsApp groups. I’m not buying any new stock, just clearing what I had in hand. If things don’t improve before the Pujas, why would people shop for new clothes?” she said.

Agreed Arpita Roy, who runs the boutique Arpita’s in BA Block: “We have had very few customers since the lockdown was lifted in June. Even now with a semi-lockdown situation still in place, things are not likely to improve. The roads are empty and so are the shops. We do make some online sales but it is minimal,” said Roy.

Besides Salt Lake, New Town mela ground, Eco Park fairgrounds and Biswa Bangla Convention Centres had emerged popular for exhibitions. Traditional art and craft forms - from patachitra to sitalpati mats and dokra jewellery - gained visibility at fairs and exhibitions held here. Most of the artistes who live in poverty and hail from marginalised communities, had started looking at fairs as a source of income and exposure to wider market opportunities. Once they started setting up stalls in the government fairs, many claim their average income increased by nearly 50 per cent over the last five years.

“We have been receiving requests for booking quite regularly but have been delaying or postponing them since we don’t know when we can host the fairs again,” Sen said, urging weavers to set up online stores for their businesses. “Online is the only way forward now.

Everything has shifted online right from films to birthday parties and business meetings,” he said.