Puri (Odisha) [India], June 13 (ANI): Sculptors in Puri are facing a tough time with a dip in tourism due to COVID-19 crisis. They claim that their survival is at stake and they are awaiting the situation to get back to normal at the soonest.

Speaking to ANI, Rabi Sahu, Secretary, Sudarshan Art and Crafts Village said, "Handicraft business has suffered a great loss. For the last three months, artists are in a very difficult situation. Our survival is at stake."

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"We are waiting for the situation to get normal so that people begin to visit and the handicrafts business is able to revive. We are in a very difficult position," he added.

He said that sculptors had to rely on their own resources to survive during the past three months.

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"Individual artists staying at home are in a bad condition, they are unable to buy the raw material for any handicraft production. We have never seen such a situation in our lives or during our forefathers' life," said Sahu.

Around 5 lakh artisans are working all over Odisha in different sectors, besides the weavers. The majority of these artisans reside in villages, they do not have a marketing tie-up. They depend on the cities and towns and ultimately we all depend on tourism," he added.

Another artisan asserted that it has become difficult for them to earn their livelihood. (ANI)

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