Sir,
Laxmi Bazar is primarily for Konyonbis (Utensil vendor) and Gamsha and Kankhal yonbis (Mosquito net). There is a long standing dispute between the Gamsha yonbis and Kangkhal yonbis. The new building offers a great opportunity to settle the dispute, if not settled yet. The Khurum Yonpham (wooden sandal vendors) near Nambul River on the road to the west of Laxmi Bazar may be brought in the Laxmi Bazar so that no vendor on or by the road may be allowed. The Urban Bank stationed by the Imphal Municipal Board/ Council in Laxmi Bazar may be shifted to some other convenient place as the demand for seats has increased and intensified in the course of time.
Ima Market (Purana Bazar), though popularly known as Fish Market is a market of all sorts of articles, where there are chaphu yonpham (earthen wares), vegetables vendor, cheng taibis (rice sellers), Thangjam Potpham, coin vendors, Panamana yonpham and Sana lupa yonpham, laishom phurit yonpham etc, the last being accommodated in Linthoingambis Markets (New market). There is a potpham Known as Langthabal Potpham demanding seats in Ima market. This potpham was seated on the road between the row of Shops known as Ngari Yonpham and fish and chaphu yonpham sheds in the Ima market. Now preference should be given to this potpham while accommodating women vendors in the newly constructed Ima market, if there are vacant seats. A record of these Women vendors in Langthabal Potpham may be available in the Imphal Municipal Council office as they have repeatedly represented to the Municipal Office for allowing them to take seats in Ima market by issuing Vendor Licence. If there are sufficient vacant seats, the Thangjam Potpham is Linthoingambi market (New market) may be accommodated in Ima market as this potpham was allowed to take seats there as there was no sufficient space in Ima market where the Thangj am Potpham was originally allotted so that Linthoingambi market may be the market purely for Phiyonpham (clothe market). The question of bringing the Chana Yonpham at Gandhi Ghat and Athum Ahao Yonbis (sweet vendors) from Maharani bridge to the police stand at the junction of Thangal Bazar and Paona Bazar may be realistically examined. Originally yen yonpham (Chicken shelters) was located in Ima market. As this potpham was mainly occupied by male vendors, this potpham was shifted to the area south of former District Hospital.
There were some tribal women vendors in Ima Market not more than ten selling baked Ngaprum. They were seasonal. They were asked to take licence but refused saying they were there only for two or three months.
If new vendors are to be allowed to take seats for business the application should be submitted to the Imphal Municipal Council office and after due scrutiny and verification of the trade for which. She applied, she may be given, vendor licence. The question of reservation of seats should not be considered. Women Vendor seats should not be communalized. All applications should be considered on merits.
It is seen that a proposal has been mooted for construction of new market and inspection has been done at Lamphel and the site of Tombisana High School. Whye Lamphel and center of Imphal ? Lamphel is a secluded place and has no attributes to be a market, Imphal Municipal Board objected to the construction and establishment of present Hospital known as RIMS Hospital and proposed the Lamphel area for model agriculture farm and proposed the hospital site at Chingmeirong where the present agriculture firm is situate Shri H. Dwijamani Sharma, who was the Chairman of the Territorial Council and Shri PC Mathew, Chief Commissioner favoured Lamphel for the Hospital.
Imphal is n*w crowded and one cannot imagine what will happen after forty or fifty years. It is now time to develop the outlying Bazars like Kwakeithel, Singjamei, Kongba and Lamlong Bazar so that the pressure to the Bazars at Khwairamband may be eased. Almost all the agricultural merchandise goods are being brought from the southern and eastern parts of Manipur valley.
Manipur has lost an opportunity to establish a New Township. The construction and establishment of Manipur Secretariat, High Court and Assembly buildings to the northern side of Imphal one cannot comprehend. It appears there is no planning. People are sure to converge to the place where these institutions are situate. The pressure of the population to Imphal is enormous All the vehicles are running towards Imphal. All roads lead to Impha!. With these institutions at a suitable area preferably the area around Heibok Hill, Langthabal and Hiyangthang, almost the centre of the populated area in the shuttle shape valley of Manipur, a new Township may grow very beautifully. The criteria and ground for the selection of the site for these institutions at the northern side of Imphal defeats imagination.
Yours faithfully,
S. Rajdhan Singh,
Singjamei Mathak Chongtham Leikai Imphal.