Around 1,000 seaside vendors in East Midnapore’s Digha, already beleaguered by nearly two years of lockdown, stare at an uncertain future as they failed to resume business in spite of renewed tourist footfall throughout this week.

The inability of these seaside shacks to resume business has financially hit a large number of vendors and the issue came to light when a group of shack owners voiced their remorse before authorities. The vendors, who expect good business in peak winter as tourists hit the sea resort in large numbers, are reeling from lack of adequate finance to resume trade as they were hit by Cyclone Yaas last year.

“Digha tourism has faced several setbacks in the form of pandemic protocol and related measures. Beaches are largely out of bounds for tourists, even if shacks can be accessed. However, most of us have had to remain closed for months because we have not been financially assisted by the state government in the aftermath of Cyclone Yaas," said oyster vendor Dibyendu Jena.

“As a result, we are missing out on even the fag end of what is considered peak tourist season in Digha,” he added.

Swapan Maiti, a dry fruits vendor a few stalls down from Jena, concurred. “Three lakh rupees worth of my stock was sucked into the sea during Yaas. I have been helpless since then, and had to let go of the few people I employed.”

Bipradas Chakraborty, joint secretary of the Digha-Sankarpur Hoteliers' Association, agreed that January 26 traditionally brought in heightened footfall, but stated that numbers would likely remain muted this year.

Asked, an executive officer of the Digha Sankarpur Development Authority said that no directives were in place for these shacks to remain closed, with no mention of the connection to Yaas-related repair measures for vendors.

“We will find out why these stalls are closed and take the necessary steps,” said Manas Mandal.

Earlier this month, the district administration and the DSDA closed Digha's beaches off to tourists in light of the third wave of the pandemic, but official sources this week remained unclear on whether the shacks were unable to reopen for legislation or for lack of wares subsequent to Cyclone Yaas last year.