cirr
ELITE MEMBER
- Joined
- Jun 28, 2012
- Messages
- 17,049
- Reaction score
- 18
- Country
- Location
Debasis Sarkar, ET BureauNov 1, 2013, 05.29PM IST
SILIGURI: Like almost all other sectors of life, divine Dipawali glitter has also gone under the clutch of Chinese manufacturers. The trend of Chinese invasion in the sector is transforming every year to maintain own supremacy over Indian indigenous lighting equipment manufacturers.
"Usage of electric lighting items for Dipawali decoration has gone up many folds in last couple of years. But hardly any Indian item is seen on use now. During 2001/2002 Dipawali week, every day we used to sell around 1000 chains of typical Indian filament based tiny bulbs, popularly known as 'Tuni'. But, practically no Indian item is see in this trade now," said Mr. Naresh Sharma, a veteran electrical goods retailer in Siliguri.
"Archetypical Tuni bulbs got first replaced by rice grain sized Chinese 'Rice bulbs' five years back. Then came power saver LEDs. The latest is laser and fake crystal based items," said Mr. Jiten Paul, veteran electric decorator.
Siliguri electric appliances market, that distributes Chinese items throughout eastern India, mostly through gray route, has already sold around 50 lakh LED/Rice bulb chains in last one week. "This does not include bulk supplies to NE region. Stock movement at Kolkata is also very vibrant," said B. Saha, an importer and trader of Chinese items.
"Every year Chinese companies are coming out with new innovative items to maintain their attraction.
Cost factor is also important. At retail level, a chain of 60 rice bulb costs Rs 25, a laser projector with special effects costs less than Rs 1000. A crystal based rainbow thrower costs only Rs 200," he added.
While talking on the shift of choice from bulb to LED, Mr. S Mohanto, Joint Director of Petroleum and Conservation Research Association(PCRA), a GoI Body, said, "Good LEDs are 85% more energy efficient and long lasting than 'Tuni' bulbs. So the shift is technically positive. But there are other factors too."
"Almost all cheap Chinese chains are made up with thin insulated iron wires instead of copper. Rice bulbs are also filament based and power guzzlers, Lasers or LEDs are not quality assured, Crystals are not of glass or ceramic but cheap plastic. All these are practically single use items. Depawali, is a festival to burn dirty things to clean the nature. But we are practically using it to add up huge volume of hazardous inorganic waste to our environment," said environmentalists.（No excuses，just say you can't compete with China. If you can afford，China is willing to supply chains made of gold or diamond！Indians want quality Chinese products？There is a price for everything。Pay up and ask your merchants and traders to go for quality suppliers in China，not family workshops in rural areas of a remote inland province。
）
SILIGURI: Like almost all other sectors of life, divine Dipawali glitter has also gone under the clutch of Chinese manufacturers. The trend of Chinese invasion in the sector is transforming every year to maintain own supremacy over Indian indigenous lighting equipment manufacturers.
"Usage of electric lighting items for Dipawali decoration has gone up many folds in last couple of years. But hardly any Indian item is seen on use now. During 2001/2002 Dipawali week, every day we used to sell around 1000 chains of typical Indian filament based tiny bulbs, popularly known as 'Tuni'. But, practically no Indian item is see in this trade now," said Mr. Naresh Sharma, a veteran electrical goods retailer in Siliguri.
"Archetypical Tuni bulbs got first replaced by rice grain sized Chinese 'Rice bulbs' five years back. Then came power saver LEDs. The latest is laser and fake crystal based items," said Mr. Jiten Paul, veteran electric decorator.
Siliguri electric appliances market, that distributes Chinese items throughout eastern India, mostly through gray route, has already sold around 50 lakh LED/Rice bulb chains in last one week. "This does not include bulk supplies to NE region. Stock movement at Kolkata is also very vibrant," said B. Saha, an importer and trader of Chinese items.
"Every year Chinese companies are coming out with new innovative items to maintain their attraction.
Cost factor is also important. At retail level, a chain of 60 rice bulb costs Rs 25, a laser projector with special effects costs less than Rs 1000. A crystal based rainbow thrower costs only Rs 200," he added.
While talking on the shift of choice from bulb to LED, Mr. S Mohanto, Joint Director of Petroleum and Conservation Research Association(PCRA), a GoI Body, said, "Good LEDs are 85% more energy efficient and long lasting than 'Tuni' bulbs. So the shift is technically positive. But there are other factors too."
"Almost all cheap Chinese chains are made up with thin insulated iron wires instead of copper. Rice bulbs are also filament based and power guzzlers, Lasers or LEDs are not quality assured, Crystals are not of glass or ceramic but cheap plastic. All these are practically single use items. Depawali, is a festival to burn dirty things to clean the nature. But we are practically using it to add up huge volume of hazardous inorganic waste to our environment," said environmentalists.（No excuses，just say you can't compete with China. If you can afford，China is willing to supply chains made of gold or diamond！Indians want quality Chinese products？There is a price for everything。Pay up and ask your merchants and traders to go for quality suppliers in China，not family workshops in rural areas of a remote inland province。
）
