The state government has set up urban haats in Bhubaneswar, Konark and Puri—the three major tourist destinations in Orissa— to promote traditional handicrafts. However, the three exclusive markets for handloom and handicraft products are facing myriad problems, including official apathy, poor footfall, inadequate publicity and infrastructure.
Lack of promotion, apathy the bane of Ekamra Haat
BHUBANESWAR: The urban market named Ekamra Haat was set up in Bhubaneswar in 2002 in an effort to present the rich craft works of the state to the tourists. However, the craft market has lost its vision with the passage of time. Due to lack of promotion, tourists are unaware of the market. Although some people visit the market, they only do it to have food at the stalls set up there.
While the handicrafts and handlooms stalls remain locked most of the time, the market remains in news due to anti-social activities.
Sprawling over five acres, Ekamra Haat has 42 stalls to sell handloom and handicraft products. However, the rented stalls are gradually closing down one by one. Most of the stalls are also developing cracks due to lack of maintenance. As the market does not yield any profit, the Orissa Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Idco) which has developed it is also not keen on its development.
Now, the handloom and handicraft items are being sold in a few stalls. In some, food items are being sold instead of the craft items. No effort is being made to attract the tourists to the crafts market. The water fountain there is also lying defunct.
“The Culture Department had planned to stage cultural programmes on the market premises to attract the visitors, but the private parties are not keen to perform at the platform. As a result, an amphitheatre set up at the market remains vacant most of the time,” said cine critic and secretary of Sanskruti O Sanskruti Dilip Hali
Chintamani Biswal, the president of Ekamra Haat Craftsmen’s Association, said, “After dusk, the parking lot of the market becomes a hangout zone for anti-socials. There is a need to intensify security and install CCTV cameras at the market.”
According to Idco officer in charge of the market Rabindra Kumar Jha, “We have taken the responsibility of management of the market. The promotion of the market is the responsibility of the state government. There is no plan for infrastructure development of the market as of now.”
GST burden
The Goods and Services Tax (GST) has proved to be a major setback for the traders of the Ekamra Haat. The prices of the craft items have skyrocketed due to imposition of GST on the raw materials and sale of the items. Meanwhile, the Idco authorities have imposed 18 per cent GST on the rent of stalls which has multiplied the plight of the traders. Earlier, the rent of the stall was Rs 2,500 which has now increased to Rs 2,900.
“The traders had written to us to withdraw GST from the rent. We have intimated the higher officials on the issue. After their approval, the traders will not have to pay GST on the rent,” Idco officer Jha said.
Tourists mistake Ekamra Haat for vegetable market.
Many visitors are unaware what Ekamra Haat is. Some visitors believe it is a vegetable or daily market. Due to lack of promotion, only a limited number of people are aware of the craft market. On the other hand, the Idco and the state government engage in mud-slinging when it comes to promotion of the haat in the state capital.
Fading colours of Nilachal Urban Haat
PURI: Thousands of devotees and visitors from across the globe throng the Holy City for a darshan of Lord Jagannath and his siblings at Srimandir and spend some time on the golden beach.
The Central and state governments had planned to set up an exclusive market for handicrafts in the coastal city to showcase our traditional handmade goods. The idea behind the move was to boost the livelihood of hundreds of artisans and to promote the cultural and artistic heritage of Orissa.
The then President Pratibha Patil had inaugurated the Nilachal Urban Haat near the Fisheries Department office in the pilgrim city December 9, 2009.
The Centre and state had spent at least Rs 3 crore to construct 36 stalls and an amphitheatre at the haat. Besides, the State Tourism Department had established a musical fountain at the market to attract tourists.
During the inauguration, all the stalls at the market were full with handloom and handicraft products. However, poor footfall had forced most of the artisans to close their shops within a couple of months of the market’s inauguration. Authorities concerned had not taken any step to revive the market.
At present, only eight shopkeepers are doing business at the urban haat. The amphitheatre has been lying unutilised for last several months. Moreover, the musical fountain has developed several technical snags. Many colourful paintings on the boundary walls and stalls have faded for lack of proper maintenance.
The Orissa Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Idco) has deployed six security guards at the haat. It also pays monthly power tariff of Rs 30,000 to the electricity department. However, the agency does not get a single rupee as revenue from the market, said an Idco official.
Many artisans have blamed the urban haat’s location for its fate. “Most of the visitors to the city gather on the Grand Road and beach. They have no interest to visit the urban haat. Absence of eateries at the market also affecting the footfall,” said Puri Creative Handicraft Cooperative Society president Debi Prasad Nanda.
According to sources, the state government is considering to revive the market through public-private-partnership (PPP) mode. “Local MLA and Revenue Minister Maheswar Mohanty had recently talked to officials of the State Tourism Department for revival of the market,” said a source in the district administration.
Same story at Konark
KONARK: The Urban Haat, a commercial complex just 500 metres from the world famous 13th century Sun Temple here, has failed to attract the tourists in sufficient numbers.
In an effort to bridge the gap between handicraft industry and tourists, the state government has built the Rs 3.5 crore state-of-the-art complex on a five-acre land allocated by Orissa Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Idco). Accordingly, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated the complex August 7, 2007.
Sources said even after two months of the launch, only 20 shops of the 40 could find tenants. This apart, discouraged by poor tourist footfall, many of the shop owners eventually vacated the prmises. Amid the lacklustre footfall, only a few shops remain open.
In an attempt to revive the Haat and ensure tourists get an enthralling experience, the state government has installed a musical fountain on the Haat premises. The Chief Minister inaugurated the musical fountain set up at a cost of Rs 28 lakh on May 29, 2013. However, it has also failed to attract the tourists.
Sources said technical glitches have left the musical fountain dysfunctional for most part of the year. Although a dedicated venue has been in place for cultural events, it has also failed to attain the objective. Except during the Konark Mohotsav (December 1 to 5), the Haat wears a deserted look for most part of the year.
Locals alleged that the isolated Haat has become a breeding ground for the anti-socials.
When contacted, State Handicraft Department director Sitikanta Sarangi said Idco has been assigned to ensure smooth functioning of the urban haats in Bhubaneswar, Konark and Puri. “There was a committee comprising officials of Idco, Handicraft and Handloom Departments to look into all the issues of these three haats. However, the panel is not getting adequate grants. We had earlier tried to bring tourist buses to the haats. However, the initiative was cancelled due to security reasons and traffic problems,” Sarangi added.
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