Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 23 2010:
The Educated unemployed Youth Cloth Vendors and Hawkers' Association has demanded provision of proper trading plots at the temporary market shed located along BT Road.
A meeting organised by the Association at Manipur Press Club and attended by its members in the presence of women activists and legal practitioners resolved to appraise their demand to relevant authorities.
Pointing out that plight of those involved in trade activities at the roadsides of Khwairamband area needs to be addressed at the earlier, the meeting decided to demand trading plots for women vendors at the temporary shed as vendors with valid license have already been allotted their permanent place at the three double-storey market complexes.
In addition to raising demand that licence should be issued without delay to vendors/hawkers trading their wares at the roadside, the meeting also resolved to claim kiosks surrounding the temporary market sheds to the male traders.
Failure to provide a positive response would prompt the Association to resort to various forms of agitation, said the Association president S Leishemba Meitei while speaking to newspersons after the meeting.
Expressing that in case all the licence-less vendors/hawkers could not be accommodated at the temporary market sheds alternative arrangement at another site may be made, he also lamented that inspite of shifting of licence holders to the new market complexes the Government is yet to finalise on whom to accommodate at the temporary sheds.
Opining that lack of initiative on the part of the Government to address plight of the street vendors/hawkers is akin to inviting agitation, he also accused Imphal Municipal Council authorities as partial and insensitive.
Substantiating on his accusation, Leishemba contended that inspite of the then IMC Chairperson Ranisana claiming to have received 22,000 applications for allotment of plots at the temporary market sheds IMC authorities cannot furnish relevant documents to prove such an approach.
While reminding that the street vendors/hawkers are compelled to ply their trades on the roadside as the Government has been unable to provide a secured job, he also alleged that a top Government official rudely rejected a proposal to meet the Chief Minister and highlight their grievances.
The Association president also quoted IMC officials as saying that process is underway to allot 1797 licenses for accommodation at the temporary market sheds out of 2255 applicants.
Claiming that there are still some plots/kiosks at the three newly inaugurated market complexes which are yet to be occupied, he suggested that arrangement be made for allocation of the unoccupied slots to the street vendors/hawkers.