Omicron scare: Govt. guidelines for Christmas, New Year celebrations awaited

By S. Kenneth Shishir

Mysore/Mysuru: Though Christmas decorations in houses is incomplete without a crib and stars, bamboo weavers at Bamboo Bazaar on New Sayyaji Rao Road say there are no buyers for cribs and stars despite slashing the prices this year.

The bamboo weavers, who prepare cribs and stars from the first or second week of December anticipating good business, are a worried lot as there are no takers for their products. These bamboo weavers have displayed cribs and stars on footpaths near Deaf and Dumb School also on New Sayyaji Rao Road.

Latha, a bamboo weaver at Bamboo Bazaar, said “Last year the business was better than this year. I used to sell about 10 cribs and stars daily last year despite COVID pandemic and this year though the pandemic has reduced, I am hardly selling one or two cribs and stars daily. Most of the cribs and stars have remained unsold till today. There are no buyers despite reducing the prices of cribs and stars.”

A medium size crib which was being sold at Rs. 500 to Rs. 600 is now being sold at Rs. 400 to Rs. 450 and the small size crib now costs Rs. 350. A 2ft. tall star is sold at Rs. 300. But still there are no takers, she rued.

“This is seasonal business and I thought this year I could make some extra money by selling bamboo cribs and stars. But this year has proved very bad,” said Latha, who is into weaving bamboo products and making cribs and stars since 23 years.

Till two years ago, before the COVID pandemic struck, Christian families were placing orders in advance for cribs and stars. To meet up with demand, extra labourers were engaged to prepare and deliver it on time. “Now, we have cribs and stars but there are no buyers,” she said expecting that the business would pick up as Christmas nears.

Siddaraju, another seller said that business was better last year and added that he sells just one or two a day. “Most of them are getting wooden cribs made so that they could use it the next year too as wooden cribs are sturdy and last long,” he added.

New guidelines

Following Omicron scare, there are chances of the Government coming up with new guidelines for Christmas and New Year celebrations, said Deputy Commissioner (DC) Dr. Bagadi Gautham.

The DC said that as of now, there are guidelines issued in the district following COVID pandemic. There is a restriction on taking out processions and on festivals which attract large crowds. Once the Government issues new guidelines, the same would be implemented, the DC added.

He further said that strict precautionary measures have been taken at Kerala border in H.D. Kote taluk and all visitors entering through Kerala borders are being screened and their RT-PCR negative reports are being checked.

Steps have been taken to increase COVID vaccine drives in urban places and we have hopes of reaching the vaccine target of 90 percent by December end this year, the DC added.