Friday, 12 May 2023 | Adhya Bisht | DEHRADUN
The vagaries of weather and the ongoing anti-encroachment drive have affected the business of the potters in Dehradun. The potters at Kumhar Mandi near Dehradun’s Chakrata Road state that their business is suffering losses during this season. Sixty six- year- old Anand Prakash has been in the business of making items from clay for around 50 years. He said that in the last month they have suffered a lot due to the changing weather with rain cooling temperatures during summer. He said that the they have recorded lower sales than last year so far, due to which the prices of their products have hit the lowest ever mark. Potters in the market said that the clay has to be brought from areas like Saharanpur and sometimes it is not available at all. To add to their woes the price of the clay has increased in recent times due to increased transportation cost. Due to these factors, the availability of raw materials has declined over the past few years.
The potters complain that they are unable to set up their shops because of ongoing anti-encroachment drive and construction activities. They claim to have raised the issues before the administration, but no action has been taken to address their issues yet. In dearth of proper places to set up their shops, they are forced to sell their products along the pavements, something that the police and administration discourages and as result they are forced to vacate such sites.
The potters are concerned about the future of the profession. They said that most families in the Kumhar Mandi run family businesses that have been passed down through generations. Due to the challenges and uncertainties in the business at present, the current generation does not find the business rewarding and this may be the last generation at Kumhar Mandi making products from clay, they added.
