High Court Directs Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) to Allow Central Market Shops to OPEN Effective 25 September, which were closed due to pandemic from March/April 2020, as per the order from MCC
Mangaluru: Good news for traders at Mangaluru Central Market, as the High Court has passed an order, and directed Mangaluru City Corporation to allow the shops in the Central Market to open, effective 25 September. It should be noted that MCC had evicted all the shops in the Central Market, during the start of pandemic in March/April 2020, in a preventive measure to stop the spread of Covid-19, since the market was congested due to space, and it was hard to maintain social distancing. Merchants of this market had filed a writ petition in the High Court against the same.
And after the HC delivered a verdict in favour of the merchants, the City corporation had asked the merchants, ONLY those who have the trade licences, to open their shops at the Central market. However Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) which has initiated the process of scrutinizing Trade licence and other documents of retail vendors is yet to restore power and water connection to Central market, as of 25 September- and no traders had moved in, except the lone security man guarding the gate from intruders.
On Monday the HC had passed an interim order allowing retail vendors to to carry out their activities in Central market, and this order had come as a slap to Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) which had used force to evict retail vendors and close down the market six months ago. Central Market Retail stall owners association in-charge President Hassan speaking to Team Mangalorean said that following High Court’s interim order, MCC had pasted notices at four exit points in the market directing traders to get their trade licence and other documents approved by MCC, and that on Wednesday 23 Sept and Thursday 24 Sept vendors had visited MCC building to get trade licence approved.
Only the Security Guard was seen Today, but NO Shop Owners since MCC had not restored Power & Electricity at Central Market?
The scrutiny of trade licence and other documents continued even on Friday, 25 September, and Team Mangalorean found only 20 per cent of retail stall owners had opened their shops as MCC had failed to restore electricity and water connections. “Without electricity, it is difficult for traders to load and unload the perishable goods,” said Hassan. MCC Mayor Diwakar said, “After verifying the documents and only when found genuine we have allowed the merchants to continue their business under certain conditions. But those who hold trade licences in someone else’s name will not be allowed to run the business in the market. We have come to know that only 30 out of 264 retail merchants have valid licences, and ONLY those have been given permission to open their shops
Activist M G Hegde who has extended support to retail vendors in the Central market speaking to Team Mangalorean said, “The High Court’s interim order was a huge setback to MCC, an engineer and elected representatives. MCC without thinking on alternative arrangements had evicted the vendors from the Central market. “By forcibly closing down the shops and disconnecting electricity, MCC has been deprived of rental income and the government of tax for the past six months,” lamented Hegde.
Mayor Diwakar has also warned that MCC officials will crack down on illegal vendors doing business on footpaths, which many have complained.. “We have received complaints taht street vendors are encroaching upon footpaths in the City. They should vacate the footpaths within a week, if not, thereafter we will launch a drive to evict them, and we are serious this time” had said the Mayor.
