Sarthak Kanjilall
Port Blair, Feb 16: Business of lot of vegetable and fruit vendors was hampered for a long time today during the Sunday market of Junglighat due to the interference of the authorities of Port Blair Municipal Council.
As per report, a few staffs of PBMC reached the Sunday Market this morning, when the business of the vendors was at its peak and the PBMC staffs asked the vegetables vendors to move their makeshift shops in a line. Such order, which should have been given, early in the morning, and not after arrival of customers, irked many vendors.
“Why such insane demand when we have consumers standing in front of our shop, if at all they wanted us to do this, the instruction must have come early in the morning from the authorities, before setting the make shift stalls,” said a vendor.
When forced to do this by the authorities, some vendors facing losses, decided to take the help of the Police and reached Aberdeen Police Station, seeking help.
After police got involved and they understood the concerns of the vendors, the police unit spoke to the PBMC officials so that the problem is solved and no law and order situation is created.
However, when Andaman Sheekha contacted the ex- councilor of the area and Ex- Senior Vice Chairperson of Port Blair Municipal Council, Mr Mahendar Prasad, he said that because the waste left by the vegetable vendors and fruit vendors are different and as per the rule the collection of waste nowadays has to be done differently like solid and liquid waste, the step was taken. “It’s difficult for the PBMC staffs to collect mixed garbage, hence, they asked the vendors to do this,” said Mr Mahendar.
The efforts of PBMC to streamline Sunday market of Junglighat is laudable but for this the PBMC must have taken well planned steps, instead of harassing poor vegetable and fruit vendors during their business hours, which comes only once in a week.
Meanwhile, the PBMC has appealed all the Street Vendors that the implementation of “Andaman & Nicobar Islands Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Scheme. 2016 is being enforced by Port Blair Municipal Council.
“On 16-02-2020 at Junglighat Sunday Market an amount of Rs. 12,500/- imposed as fine/penalty on Violators for not complying the terms and conditions of the scheme in view of the provision at Chapter-IX, clause 21 under the para “ Terms and condition for street vending and norms for up-keeping public health and hygiene. In the mean time the PBMC’s Task Force is also seized 15 Kg plastic carry bags which is significantly 50% less quantity in compare to previous drives figures, a release issued by PBMC said here today.
