Trade resumption at Khwairamband unlikely right after May 3
Ima Market No 1 to be fitted with CCTV cameras
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 27 2020: To check dirtying and other unsanitary activities inside Ima Keithel No 1 (Ima Leimarel Sidabi Keithel), CCTV cameras would be fitted inside the market complex.

Talking to this reporter inside the market complex where repairing work is going on, Imphal Municipal Corporation (IMC) Assistant Commissioner Samuel Moirangthem said that any type of activity which would make the market complex dirty or wet would not be allowed henceforth.

Trade resumption at Khwairamband unlikely right after May 3

As directed by the Government, IMC started repairing the market complex since April 22 taking advantage of the abandonment of the market complex by vendors on account of the lockdown.

The repairing work is expected to finish on May 3, Samuel said.

Since the public curfew imposed on March 22 which was followed by the Nation-wide lockdown on March 25, no vendor has been vending any merchandise inside the three Ima Keithels nor on the streets of Khwairamband till date.

IMC has been re-painting Ima Keithel No 1 and the corporation is also working to install a new lighting system.

All the waste materials found piled up inside the market complex have been removed and whole complex has been cleaned.

In addition to repairing the toilets located on the upper storey of the market complex, there is a need to build toilets outside the market complex, said the IMC Assistant Commissioner.

Informing that CCTV cameras would be fitted inside Ima Leimarel Sidabi market complex, he said that huge piles of waste materials were found piled up below the elevated vendor platforms.

Now all the waste materials have been removed.

Littering waste materials, urination inside the market complex and making it wet on account of selling fish as done earlier would not be allowed after the repairing work is completed, Samuel said.

Any activity that makes the market complex wet and dirty would be easily detected through the CCTV cameras and defaulters would be penalised according to law, warned the IMC Assistant Commissioner.

Running rice or tea hotels inside the market complex is not permissible.

As such, such hotels would not be allowed any further.

Moreover, dressing or cutting fishes inside the market complex will be banned completely, he said.

Fishmongers would not be allowed to pour out water inside the market complex.

When waste materials and garbage are piled up inside the market complex, it becomes a source of many types of diseases.

All market complexes across the world are always kept neat and clean, Samuel continued.

Piling up garbage and waste materials in every corner of the Ima Keithel which is quite unique in the world is rather shameful in front of tourists from other States of India and abroad, he rued.

Even if the lockdown is lifted, it is unlikely that vendors would be allowed to resume their trade at Khwairamband from the next day or soon after.

As the positive cases of COVID-19 have been increasing in India, it would be better if Khwairamband Keithels are opened a little late.

At the same time, it is advisable to open cluster markets at different localities away from Imphal city, Samuel opined.

Khwairamband Keithel Sinpham Amadi Saktam Kanba Lup president Thoudam Shanti said that most vendors of Ima Keithel No 2 (Phouoibi Keithel) have not taken away their merchandises as they generally deal in garments and paraphernalias needed for religious rituals.

As most of the merchandises sold at Ima Phouoibi and Ima Imoinu Keithels are very costly, they are being guarded by workers of KEDO, Shanti said.

Notably, there are around 1800 vendors in Ima Leimarel Sidabi Keithel, around 1300 in Ima Phouoibi Keithel and around 800 in Ima Imoinu Keithel.