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‘Will have to start from scratch’: Ambala’s cloth traders count losses
The makers of scientific equipment too suffered huge losses as their units are still under five to six feet of water
: After three days of incessant rains and deluge, the traders of Asia’s largest cloth market here have started counting their losses running into crores of rupees as water receded from their shops.
Ambala’s cloth market spread across old cloth market, Railway Station Road, Maharaja Agrasen Chowk and Kalka Chowk having nearly 1,000 shops in its vicinity is one of the most affected areas.
The market has its customer base spread across Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana.
As per rough estimates, there are nearly 11,000 people employed directly and indirectly with the clothing trade in Ambala with an estimated turnover of ₹2,000 crore.
However, over 500 mm rain in the last three days has severely affected the cloth trade. The water receded on Tuesday in the market areas and merchants started opening their shops.
Sameer, a shopkeeper at the old cloth market, said it will take two to three days to access losses and settle down again, while his employees emptied the rain water from the shop with buckets.
President of Ambala Cloth Market Welfare Association Vishal Batra said business for 15 days has been affected.
“The clothing products drenched in drain water are of no use even if they are washed again in fresh water. I can’t estimate the losses due to floods as of now, but the Rakhi festival would be dull,” he told the HT.
Science equipment makers too at receiving end
In Cantonment, units manufacturing science equipments are still under three to four feet of water since Tangri River started overflowing on Sunday.
Nearly 130 units in the area supply science-related instruments to educational and technical institutes in India or export them to other countries. There are more than a 1,000 other small, medium and large-scale industrial units in several pockets of Vikaspuri and along the Tangri River of Cantt, and Saha.
Ambala Scientific Instruments Manufacturers Association (ASIMA) vice- president Saurabh Nagpal said that it was the fourth day that the owners couldn’t visit their unit to assess losses.
“Our machines, computer systems, stock and other items are completely damaged. Several of us had ready material for export that was also washed in these floods. We are estimating a loss of over ₹400 crore to our units in the industrial area and we might have to start from scratch,” he added.
Nagpal further said that their association will soon meet home minister Anil Vij and other officials demanding relaxation in GST, improvement in drainage system and other relief.
On being asked about the estimated losses, DC Shaleen said, “Our focus first is to save lives and provide relief to those stranded. Estimates of losses will be made thereafter.”
