Hyderabad: Traders from Kashmir and Gujarat are upset as they incurred heavy losses in the Exhibition Grounds fire on Wednesday and are not sure how they can get fresh handloom and handicraft materials from their states in such a short time. He said that when they returned in the morning after the fire, they found their remaining stock had been stolen.
They protested before the Exhibition Society for their lax attitude of not providing enough security to protect what was left. K. Ashok Lal from Rajkot trades in cut work and Gujarati dress material. His stall was among those that were totally gutted. He pegged his losses at around Rs 20 lakh. Another stall that was gutted sold crockery and other household items and was put up by Mohammed Jaleel of L B Nagar, a local trader. He pegged his losses at around Rs 35 lakh.
The traders said business was at its peak on Republic Day, but turnout was low because of the rains. Soot, ashes and puddles of water remained at the corner of Exhibition Society on Thursday, According to an initial assessment, the total losses sustained by 130 traders stands at around Rs 20 crore.
