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Ludhiana: Saras Mela marred by rain, stalls damaged, concert postponed
The concert area at the mela was also submerged in standing water, forcing authorities to bring in motors and tankers to drain it
Disappointed and frustrated, several stall owners at the Saras Mela expressed dismay as rainwater seeped into their stalls, accumulated across the mela ground, and damaged products at various stalls, affecting business, following incessant rains in the city on Tuesday.
Ludhiana recorded around 9.6mm of rainfall till 8.30 in the morning, and showers continued later in the day. The India Meteorological Department(IMD) has issued a yellow alert for the city on Tuesday.
“While tarpaulin sheets covered most stalls, water collected on the ground and seeped inside, affecting products at several stalls. A lot of my carpets got damp due to the water,” said 30-year-old Mursaleen Ahmed, who runs a handloom stall at the mela.
The situation proved especially challenging for handloom vendors and merchants dealing in wooden handicrafts and furniture. “There wasn’t much sunshine today. If the weather stays clear tomorrow, we will lay out the carpets in the sun and assess the damage,” Mursaleen added.
The furniture merchants claimed that the polish on the products was affected by washing up in the rain.
Furniture merchants claimed that the rain damaged their goods. “Wooden products are coated in polish. If they come into contact with water, the polish washes off,” said Shahrukh, a vendor from Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh.
The concert area at the mela was also submerged in standing water, forcing authorities to bring in motors and tankers to drain it.
An official at the mela said, “Many merchants have had at least some of their products damaged as water entered their stalls. The water has now been drained out.”
Additional deputy commissioner Amarjeet Bains said, “There hasn’t been much damage. The canopies over the stalls are waterproof. The rain has affected the mela, obviously, but we hope it will start blooming again once the weather clears up.”
The heavy showers also forced the postponement of star nights scheduled for Monday and Tuesday due to water accumulation in the concert area. The administration has said a new date for the events will be announced soon.
