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Prices of essential items drop as Guwahati gets back to normal, but tourists still stay away

Tour operators and hotels continue to face the brunt of the protests in Assam with many tourists cancelling their trips.

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Guwahati: The prices of essential food items, including vegetables, have finally started to drop in Assam, but the tourism industry continues to bear the brunt of the week-long violent protests against the amended Citizenship Act.

Even the petrol pumps in Guwahati, which shut shop due to lack of fresh supply, have now started to function again. However, most pumps are not selling fuel for over Rs 500 per vehicle.

The only item that continues to be sold at high rates is liquor — prices have shot up by four times in the illegal market.

The hospitality sector continues to be the worst hit, with tourists cancelling plans to visit states in the Northeast.

Assam saw violent protests on 12 December over the passage of the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act in the Parliament. On Monday, curfew was eased in Guwahati.

Prices of food items

A visit to the local vegetable markets in Guwahati over the weekend showed the prices of vegetables and non-vegetarian food items had shot up immediately after the violent protests.

The hike came primarily as vehicles with fresh supply were stuck on highways due to the agitation.

For instance, the price of potato more than doubled to Rs 40 per kg from Rs 16. Onions, already selling at high prices across the country, went up to Rs 120 per kg from Rs 60. Even broiler chicken was being sold for Rs 250, up from 160, while the price of one kg mutton rose to Rs 800 from Rs 600.


Also read: ‘Face of Assam protest’ Zubeen Garg has message for Modi, Shah — don’t treat us like dustbins


‘Economy should not be hit’

With tourism in the state hit, Assam’s Tour Operators Association president Ranjeet Das told ThePrint that the protests had led to a fear psychosis among tourists and forced many to cancel.

“We have had a number of cancellations because everyone is afraid of the violence. But now the situation has improved. The tourists should not fear anything,” Das said.

He added that cancellations included those who were planning to arrive in Assam over the next two weeks.

“The vandalism was something which nobody in Assam supported. It was unexpected. However, no violence has taken place since then. Every organisation has spoken out in favour of peaceful protests which will not affect any tourists,” he added.

For about two days last week, tourists were stuck at the airport with taxi operators refusing to ply because of the violence. Even after the violence subsided, taxi operators were charging more to take tourists around.

For example, operators were charging Rs 1,800 for a ride from the airport to the city centre Saturday as against the usual Rs 1,000.

Hotels too have borne the brunt of the protests with guests cancelling their bookings or not turning up.

Liquor still expensive

In the last few days, the prices of liquor bottles in Guwahati have shot up by four times as the local police had closed down the vends. However, it is being sold in black even though the police has asked the excise department to crackdown on illegal sale.

“I bought a quarter of whisky for Rs 400 in black. The regular price is Rs 120,” Bittu, a cab driver, told ThePrint.


Also read: ‘For India’s sake stop this brutality’ — politicians speak up in support of Jamia students


 

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