HYDERABAD: Summer is upon us and the city’s potters were all prepared to display their new batch of terracotta and clay pots to customers. Unfortunately, the ongoing lockdown has closed all doors of their income, leaving them reeling under huge losses. Several potter families in Kumahar Basti in Punjaguta are struggling to sell their wares. A week ago, they were forced to shut shop, but many of them have now returned to the street. Though they are eagerly displaying their clay wares, the entire day goes by waiting for even a single customer.
Shanta (53), a potter, told Express that late March to May is the peak season for her. Like every year, she started stocking up on pots of different sizes since the start of March. She was hoping to sell them off by April. “I haven’t even sold 10 pots and now we are hearing that the lockdown is going to be extended. We don’t know if we will have any sale this year,” she said.
23-year-old Vithal said his family lives off the sale it makes in this season until Diwali. “Over the years, our profession has seen many ups and downs. This year, however, is the worst time, which none of us anticipated,” said Vithal. Like them, several potter families scattered across the city in different areas of Ameerpet, Erragada and Patancheru are facing similar issues. While some make their pots, many procure them from Mahbubnagar.
Lamenting their woes, Vijay Kumar (58), another potter, said, “The government promised us free ration, but we do not know when will that happen.” These families, who live in small and crowded houses, do not even have access to masks and sanitisers. For them, following social distancing is not an option. Hoping that they will get some help from the government, Kumar said, “We do not want masks or sanitisers; all we want is two meals a day.”