Punjab marriage palace owners seek reopening
A body representing owners of marriage palaces and resorts on Saturday demanded from the Punjab government that they be allowed
Chandigarh: A body representing owners of marriage palaces and resorts on Saturday demanded from the Punjab government that they be allowed to operate with coronavirus norms in place.
The body also threatened to resort to an agitation if the permission was not granted to them by the month-end.
Sukhdev Singh Sidhu, president, Punjab Marriage Palace and Resort Association (PMPARA), said they could not understand why they were not being permitted to operate despite having spacious gardens, halls and proper parking.
On the contrary, hotels, restaurants, malls, gyms and markets that have been allowed to operate are having less space, he said, adding that coronavirus standard operating procedures can be implemented easily by them.
Sidhu said his association has already handed over a letter in this regard to Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh.
Sidhu said Punjab has over 5,000 marriage palaces and resorts which have been closed for over seven months.
This has rendered hundreds of vendors connected with marriage functions and other events jobless, resulting in massive unemployment and extreme financial distress for marriage palace owners, he added.
Karamjit Singh Canadian, joint secretary of the body, said all norms related to coronavirus will be followed once allowed to operate marriage palaces and resorts.
A majority of venues have a capacity to accommodate 1,000-2,000 guests. If the government allows reopening with 300 guests per event, all vendors left jobless will get work. Even the state government will gain as revenue will start pouring in, he said.
Under the current phase of the coronavirus lockdown, most states neighbouring Punjab have allowed events up to 100 guests while marriage palaces and resorts in the state remain shut.
"This coupled with months of zero income may result in the closure of most marriage palaces and resorts if the government does not get up from its slumber and orders reopening, he said.