But today, the industry, which includes 350 shops and employs some 5,000 persons, is facing tough times. A shop owner makes a very pessimist prognosis: “Unless some miracle happens, the industry is on the verge of closure.”

During its better days, the industry was known to even export its products to Europe and North America. The businessmen allege that government apathy is responsible for their downfall.

“We have demanded that this cluster be treated as a handicraft industry. We had put forth this demand in the last budget too and Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had assured us of accepting it, but we are still treated as a small-scale industry and levied a high VAT of 12.5 per cent. Our sales are dwindling and most of us are finding this business unsustainable,” says Shiv Darshan, a senior member of the Furniture Manufacturers’ and Exporters’ Association.

At one time, furniture from Kartarpur had distant markets. But high taxation costs are weaning them away. Mohinder Pal Sehra explains, “Our products were purchased by patrons in Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir and even in southern states. But today, they have stopped coming. You can’t fault them either. High taxation and transportation costs means that imported furniture from China and Malaysia comes cheaper. Even when we export, we are able to send products on our own goodwill. NRIs from the region know the quality of our products and have been a big help in getting us customers abroad. There has been no help from the government. We have had no representation at trade fairs or subsidy to upgrade our machinery.”