IMPHAL, July 5: Both the two groups of licensed and non-licensed vendors of the Khwairamband keithel and its surrounding areas staged separate sit in protest today.
The Khwairamband Nupi Keithel Sinpham Amadi Saktam Kanba Lup staged a sit-in-protest today at the market complex against the government’s failure to solve the problems of the vending space, trade and the street vendors in the Khwairamband Keithel and its surrounding areas.
The Road Side Vendors Welfare Association also staged its own sit-in-protest near the Temporary Market parking gate.
The licensed vendors lamented that the government’s failure has only resulted in repeated scuffle between Khwairamband Keithel vendors and the street vendors.
Lamenting that the government and the IMC have failed to look into their demands, the Khwairamband Nupi Keithel Sinpham Amadi Saktam Kanba Lup has decided not to pay any tax to the IMC until the government solves the ongoing problems faced by the license holding vendors.
It lamented that instead of providing the spaces available at the temporary sheds of Old District Hospital to the street vendors who are out to eke a livelihood, the Imphal Municipal Councillors who are elected for five years have set up shops.
One of the demonstrators appealed to the government to look into the issue.
One of the vendors present said, despite numerous pleas to the government and the IMC on the present issue between the licensed and street vendors, there has been no response so far from both.
She said the licensed vendors have appealed to provide a different vending space for the street vendors so as to avoid any conflicts and to clean up the filths surrounding the markets sheds.
Meanwhile, the road side vendors were demanding formation of a Town Vending Committee and against the repeated harassment of the non-licensed vendors by the licensed vendors and security forces.
The association of the roadside vendors have demanded issuance of id-cards for themselves.