COVID-19 scare dampens Holi spirit as sales of colours and other items affected in UP

Lucknow, Hapur (Uttar Pradesh) [India], March 22 : Shopkeepers in Uttar Pradesh are not very much excited ahead of Holi as the sales of Holi merchandise and other items is down amid the recent spike in COVID-19 cases.
The number of coronavirus cases, which had been decreasing since last November, has been on the rise in the past two weeks in the entire country.
A wholesaler in Hapur, while talking to ANI, said on Sunday that customers are not coming in expected numbers because of the rise in numbers of COVID cases, resulting in a decrease in sales of colours, gulal, water guns and other merchandise.
Meanwhile, one of the shopkeepers selling 'papad' in Lucknow, said that their business is down due to rising cases of COVID-19.
"The sale is down compared to the last year," said Navneet Singh of Sardar Ji Papadwale's shop in Aminabad area of the city.
"Every year, a massive crowd used to come and we did not get time even to talk. However, this time around there is a little crowd at the shop, even on a Sunday," he added.
On the other hand, customers who came to the market said the COVID-19 crisis is not yet averted and that's why they are reluctant to go outside.
"The crises of COVID-19 is not yet averted, but even then people are wandering in the market without taking any precaution," said one of the customers.
Some customers said they will play Holi with dry colours this time around.
There are 3036 active cases of COVID-19 at present in Uttar Pradesh.