IMPHAL, March 13: Imphal West police today dispersed a mob of women street vendors in front of the Nupi Lan memorial complex who were proceeding towards the Chief Minister’s official bungalow to submit a memorandum demanding vending space for them.
The women vendors numbering around a few hundreds were seen moving towards the CM bungalow demanding provision of vending space at the temporary market sheds which have been recently vacated after the vendors from the temporary sheds were shifted over to the three newly built Ima keithels.
Rani Devi, secretary Nupi Keithel Sinpham amadi Saktam Kanba Lup, has alleged that the IMC in cohort with some individuals had allotted licences without concerning the availability of vending spaces in the market sheds which has resulted in the ruckus regarding the allocation of vending space in the market sheds.
She has further claimed that the current situation where numerous women vendors have been left without vending space even though the state government had claimed that the new keithels will be constructed on the exact length and breadth of the old keithels so as to incorporate all the vendors is a clear sign of negligence on the part of IMC while allocating licences to the vendors.
Meanwhile the agitating women vendors had started off from the old market sheds and had proceeded towards the CM bungalow to submit their memorandum; however Imphal west district police waylaid them in front of the Nupi Lan memorial complex and dispersed the vendors.
It may be mentioned that the government had already announced to incorporate the street vendors at the temporary market sheds which has been emptied following the shifting of its previous occupant vendors into the three newly built Ima Keithels.