IMPHAL, December 27: Street vendors under the banner of the Ima Panthoibi Street Vendors’ Union, Khuman Lampak staged a sit-in-protest at Dingku Road roadside opposite to the Inter State Bus Terminal denouncing the government’s move to construct a Tribal boys’ hostel at their vending space.
Their demand is to construct a market shed or building for street vendors instead of the boys’ hostel and to build the boys’ hostel at another location.
Speaking to this reporter, advisor of the union Y Indrani Devi said that since 2011 they have been submitting memorandums to the Chief Minister and other concerned authorities demanding construction of a market in the area, as women vendors from different communities put up their vending stalls there.
Suddenly on December 3, the government called them for a meeting regarding their demands, she said.
The meeting was attended by the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, DC of Imphal East, Director of MAHUD and SP of Imphal West, she said.
She continued they had further placed their demands before the government during the meeting and made it very clear that they want a market shed and not a students’ hostel in the area.
She said they had apprised the government that since the place is adjacent to the road and opposite to a bus terminus it is a very noisy place and not suitable for students.
She continued that the government had assured to construct the market, but contrary to the assurance, a few days ago they were shown a copy of an order for construction of the tribal boys’ hostel.