Vendors petition Governor
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, April 27 2011:
Street vendors of Khwairamband Keithel Wednesday overcame police personnel blocking them from carrying out a protest march towards the CM's bungalow and the Raj Bhavan.
Around 600 streets vendors marched towards the CM's bungalow where they met a strong resistance from the police.
The police were outnumbered by the street vendors who surged to the gate of the CM's bungalow.
When they knocked at the gate of the bungalow.
The CM was out of station attending a programme in Chandel district.
The vendors then struggled with the police for about 20 minutes to reach the Raj Bhavan gate where they submitted a memorandum to the Governor, requesting him to intervene in the government's decision taken on Monday.
The memorandum decried the government's decision to allot vendor spaces at Lamphel shopping complex in the outskirts of the city.
The decision will deprive around 620 street vendors from allotments to vacant temporary market sheds which were earlier occupied by licensed holder vendors who had since been shifted to the three storey women market sheds.
"We have been requesting the government time and again to grant us allotment of the space vacated.
But to our great surprise and shock, we have learnt that a recent cabinet meeting has decided that we will be given allotments in the Lamphel Pat area" .
"We consider this decision as outlandish and an intetional move to disperse us from the Khwairamband Keithel which is the hub of life and activities of customers and commuters.
As such our business in Lamphel will fail," said Y Rita Devi, the president of Khwairamband Bazar Vendors Nupi Yaipha Lup.
She also said, the government had earlier announced it would be accommodate them in the vacated temporary sheds in Khwairamband Keithel after the inauguration of three Nupi markets.
Since then, the three Nupi Keithels have been inaugurated and seats have been allotted.
But, "we have not been given allotments in the said temporary market sheds," Y Rita said.