Posers raised over doles for market sheds
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 30 2013:
Women vendors of Khwairamband Keithel today questioned the grant of Rs 72 crores doled out by UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi for construction of three new markets.
Speaking to media persons at Keithel No 1 (Purana Keithel), Manipur Keithel Nupi Marup president Y Ibeni recalled that Sonia Gandhi while inaugurating the three market complexes of Khwairamband in 2010 declared that Rs 72 crores would be given to the State Government for construction three more market complexes.
Whereas a large number of daily bread earners have been working as street vendors, the State Government has been maintaining a complete silence over Sonia Gandhi's promise for grant for construction of new markets.
Another agenda of the press meet was reported grant of bank loans to women vendors of Khwairamband Keithel who do not possess vendor licence.
However, as the press meet got underway, some vendors who received bank loans marched in and raised an uproar saying that no press meet should be conducted on the agenda.
The women vendors even shoved some reporters who took photographs of the press meet.
The uproar was brought under control only after arrival of police.
The press meet was continued at Manipur Press Club where Manipur Keithel Nupi Marup secretary Laishram Mema condemned the act of disrupting the press meet as uncivilized.
Even if they have objections and have their own viewpoints, they can convene another press meet.
She further blamed the O Ibobi-led Government of creating divisions among vendors of the three Khwairamband markets.
Those who have connections are given grants and loans even though they do not possess vendor licences.
Saying that they would take legal aid to see that the defaulters are punished according to law, Mema said that some vendors are not given any space in the three markets in spite of being genuine licence holders.
She went on question as to how and why grants of Rs one lakh each was given to Rani of Keithel No 1, Shanti of New Keithel and Pakpi of Lakshmi Keithel by Imphal
Urban Cooperative Bank.
Rani and Pakpi purportedly hold vendors licences carrying numbers 1137 and 98 respectively.
But verification through RTI application revealed that vendor licence 1137 was issued in the name of Nandeibam (O) Nupimacha s/o Sanajaoba of Malom Tulihal.
Vendor licence 98 was issued in the name of one Laishram (O) Kiranmala of Wangkhei Pukhrambam Leikai.
In addition to giving grants to Rani and Pakpi who do not possess vendor licences, Imphal Urban Cooperative Bank sanctioned a loan of Rs 13.65 lakhs to 118 vendors of Purana Keithel with Rani as guarantor, Mema said.
Again the same bank sanctioned a loan of Rs 16.90 lakhs to 114 vendors of Lakshmi Keithel with Pakpi as guarantor.
She decried the acts of giving loans to vendors who do not possess vendor licence as well as the act of accepting unlicensed vendors as guarantors as unlawful.
Another vendor Sanahanbi lamented that local women who sell vegetables on road sides are shooed away by police in the most inhuman manner often scattering their merchandise while non-Manipuris are given road side vendor licences.
Questioning such ridiculous policy of the Government, Sanahanbi asked how much money did the non-local vendors offer to Government authorities.
She demanded immediate cancellation of all the road side vendor licences.
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