Madurai
Madurai
District Hire Goods Owners Association petitioned the Collector here on Monday, urging the government to allow weddings with 50% of the hall’s capacity.
Service providers, including sound and light organisers, stage decorators, cooking utensils providers and ‘pandal’ organisers were some of the service providers who were members of the Association.
According to its treasurer P. Chandran, the members earn most of their income during April, May and June. Hundreds of people and their families are solely dependent on this business for their income.
The new restrictions on wedding parties and festivities at religious places has put a strain on the business of service providers, who have just picked up work after last year's lull forced by COVID-19.
In the wake of the spike in new cases, the government has restricted the number of participants in a wedding to 100. “Since there is restriction in number of participants in weddings, families are opting for low-key weddings. Hence, many of the orders have been cancelled following the announcement of the restriction," said Mr. Chandran.
“While cinemas are allowed to screen movies with an occupancy of 50%, the government must allow weddings to be held with 50% capacity of the wedding hall,” he added. Only if restrictions were eased will the livelihood of service providers will improve.
While last year, the start of the lockdown killed the businesses of ancillary services, the continuance of similar restrictions would hurt prospects of the revival of businesses, the association has said.
