New Delhi, May 10 (IANS): West Delhi's Basai Darapur sees a huge trade of fans as Asia's largest fan market is located here, but the entire market is closed due to the lockdown which has hit the traders hard.

The shopkeepers here say that "the government should apply Odd-Even scheme for the shops as in the 3-month season we used to earn our livelihood for the whole year, but now these 3 months are gone and so is the next one year."

Gyaneshwar, president of the Delhi-based Basai Darapur fan market called Fan Market Manufacturers and Traders Association, told IANS that "the market has been in operation since 1970 and is Asia's largest fan market, where manufacturing takes place and spare parts are available and there are about 200 shops where fans are sold, while there are about 400 factory units where the fan parts are made."

He said "We get the cheapest fans here. The cost of a fan is around Rs 300 1000, here the poor also come because they cannot buy expensive fans, this market is hope for the poor so that their children can sleep in comfort."

"We request the government to implement Odd-Even scheme to feed all the shopkeepers, so as to follow social distancing and we can also make a living. We will also write a letter to the government to implement Odd-Even."

"All we see is darkness. Our season is from February to June, as in this period we earn for the whole year. We have almost all the shops on rent, due to which they are all the more upset. We have to take care of labour costs, shop rent, take care of our children, take care of labourers' children too, give GST, pay bills. But there is absolutely no work."

IANS spoke to a shopkeeper in the fan market, named Ajit, who said, "What should we say about our problem? We work only for this season throughout the year. Our stocks are all piled up in the shops. We all depend on this season to earn for the rest of the year."

"I live in a rented house with a loan to pay and my fan shop is also on rent of Rs 10,000, but the shop is completely closed in the lockdown. Not even a single fan has been sold this season. We care about our lives, that is why we are sitting at home, but what will we eat without earning?"

"We are following the lockdown at the behest of the government, but the government opened the liquor shops, so it should implement Odd-Even scheme for our shops so that we can take orders," he said.