Plotless vendors brave heat, cold to keep kitchen fire burning
Source: The Sangai Express / Ng Liklaileima

Imphal, May 07: "For the last 35 years, I've been selling vegetables without a shed beside Singjamei bridge under an umbrella daring both rain and heat", said Tembi.

"Even as we are proud of our contribution in running our families by selling different produces and articles at road sides, women vendors have been enduring different forms of difficulties.

Helpless as we are, we have no other option but to endure the inconveniences", she confided.

While the number of women taking up marketing business at road sides and other odd places has been increasing day by day due to myriad reasons, very few vendors have the advantage to market their wares at ease at their own sheds.

An elderly woman make do with a makeshift roof to sell her ware

The same scene of women vendors occupying filthy spaces can be observed at Maharani bridge, Kasturi bridge, Thong Nambonbi, Mayai Thong, Minuthong, Pishum Thong, Sanjenthong etc.

Even as many women vendors have been occupying road sides at Pishum, some of their colleagues have been given the advantage of some sort of a shed as the old Pishum bridge has a roof now.

Impressed by the conversion of the old, unused Pishum bridge into a market shed, Tembi expressed her desire to convert the old Singjamei bridge into a market shed.

"It would be a huge relief to many plotless vendors who have been enduring rain and heat throughout the year if the unused Singjamei bridge is converted into a market shed", Tembi observed.

Compelled by poverty, Tembi started selling goods at the side Singjamei bridge at the young age of 20 years.

She has been peddling eatables like Bhujia.

When she first started selling Bhujia, it cost Rs 1.40 per kilogram.

Now one kg of Bhujia cost Rs 140.All these years, she never got a chance to sit under a roof and sell Bhujia.

Even though police prevent selling wares near and on Singjamei bridge saying that it would impede traffic flow, many women vendors are carrying out their business at such places enduring all the harsh words and action of traffic police personnel, conveyed Tembi.

Besides Tembi, four/five others have been selling their ware just beside the Singjamei bridge in the evening.

In the morning, the number of women vendors occupying selling their wares and on Singjamei bridge is about 30 .

Memma who is marketing at the footpath of Kasturi bridge of Khwairamband Bazar said, "Traffic police regular shoo us away saying that selling goods on footpath is illegal but once they leave the place, all the vendors come back and occupy their usual spot".

Under such harsh and pitiable condition, 40 year old Memma from Huikap has been earning livelihood of four children besides herself.

Kumudini of Thoubal Thiyam who sells oranges said, "My husband was a rickshaw driver but following an accident he can no longer drive rickshaw any more.

With my eldest son suffering from disability due to poliomyelitis and unable to meet the family expenditure by weaving clothes on handloom, I was forced to come to Khwairamband Bazar to earn the livelihood of my family".

Kumudini is mother of four children.

"By selling oranges during those hours when there is no traffic police men, I was able to earn about Rs 2000 in a day.

If I could sell oranges at a proper, permanent place at ease, I could earn up to Rs 5000 in a day", she exuded.

One woman fish-monger who occupies a spot on the bridge above Naga river in Khwairamband bazar asked, "Ibemma, is it true that all the vendors occupying the bridge will be driven away to pave for repairing the bridge?".

A deep apprehension reflected in the shrivelled face of the fish-monger.

Then she murmured to herself, "In case we are driven away for repairing the bridge, where would we sell our wares.

I wish we are provided an alternative place before driving us away".

Thoudam Loidang of Wangoi who has been blessed with a spot under the roof at the old, unused Pishum Thong, now converted to a market shed conveyed, "Now I can sell my wares comfortably with peace of mind".

However, many other women who have taken up selling different commodities at road sides and other odd places in their struggle for survival cried, "We cannot stop our business, though it is quite small, for lack of market shed.

We must fight our and shoulder our responsibility of being a mother".

Yet, they are still hopeful that they may get a market shed with a roof over their heads one day or another.