IMPHAL, Oct 25: Apart from the emerging controversies over the naming of the three historical market sheds which are in the final stages of completion, the rising demands for reserving places for tribal vendors in them is predicted to give a new twist to the problem in the near future.
It may be mentioned that while the state government considered naming the main market sheds, several civil societies expressed opinions against the state government’s plan.
The state government has been pushing the construction work to have the market place completed so as to inaugurate them by first week of the November next month.
The government also plans to invite the AICC president Sonia Gandhi to state for the inauguration.
Work at the construction sites have been at hectic paces, giving finishing touches wherever necessary.
But of late work at all three market complexes have seriously affected due to a sudden surge of traffic and shoppers buying items for the festival of Diwali and Ningol Chakouba which fall during the first week of the next month.
In the meantime, amidst rising problems over the renaming of the three market complexes at Khwairamband which are now near completion, the Kabui Mother Association, Manipur has submitted a memorandum to the chief minister, Okram Ibobi, today demanding allotment of 200 vendor seats for the womenfolks of Kabui community in the newly constructed Ema Keithel which consists of three market blocks, before their inauguration.
The memorandum of the KAMA mentioned that the Kabui community population in the state stands as the second largest in the state.
It said association has learnt that, 1808 numbers of women vendors (seats) existed at the time of dismentaling of the old Khwairamband Bazar (Ema Keithel).
However, it is sad that not a single seats was alloted to Kabui womenfolk to occupy as vendor in the biggest market even though it was exclusively for womenfolks of the state.
Their memorandum also further mentioned that, it is well known by the entire populance of the state that there are many Kabui villages within the municipality areas.
The Kabui community also directly bore the brunt of all types in eventualities that occurred in the state of Manipur, it said.
Therefore, giving priority and first preference to the people who suffered the most is a natural justice, it argued.
It said the association is extremely happy that the state government is expansding the erthwhile Khwairamband Bazar into a large multi-storey building market complex for women and it is now nearing completion by investing huge amount of money with an objective to facilitate avenues for self employment and to provide earning opportunity for the womenfolks of the state.
But, there seems to be lacking policy till date in connection with the vendors accommodation in the newly constructed market complex even though the ianuguration date has been announced by the state government, it said.
It is also further mentioned that, Manipur, being the multi-ethnic state where various communities are inhabiting since time immemorial, therefore, in the context vis-Ã -vis especially the present juncture accomodating a single community in a particular place or complex in one hand and to be mingled/shared by various communities in another place would be irrelevant as well as illogical, the memoradum of KAMA added.