‘Traders should Return to Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) Yard in Baikampady from Central Market, as Better Facilities Will be Provided’- K Krishnaraj Hegde, President of APMC
Mangaluru: Addressing the media persons during a press meet held at Mangaluru Press Club, on Wednesday, 19 August 2020, K Krishnaraj, the President of Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC), said, “We have noticed that a bunch of retailers/wholesalers who were doing business at APMC Yard in Baikampady, have recently moved back to the dilapidated Central Market in the heart of the City. Without knowing the consequences these traders have started operating again at the Central Market, which is totally illegal as per district administration and Mangaluru City Corporation. Recently, when MCC withdrew the HC case filed on 7 April 2020, the traders have happily occupied the Central Market”.
“It should be noted that for the past few months the fruits and vegetable traders have been doing business at the APMC Yard by obtaining licences from APMC. But all of a sudden they have stopped their operations at APMC, and have returned to Central Market, without giving us any notice nor intimation. It should be noted that in March 2020, MCC had evicted these traders from Central Market in the view of Covid-19 since the space inside the market was congested, and also that the market was dilapidated and old, and above to collapse. The MCC had planned to build a new market in that spot. But starting business once again when the virus is still spreading and cases are increasing, it is not advisable to run business at the Central Market” added Hegde.
He further said, “If business starts again at Central Market, there will be an increase in traffic flow, with heavy trucks doing the loading and unloading, and people gathering with no social distancing. We have noticed since a few days the flow of trucks at APMC has come down, since many of these trucks have started to load and unload at the Central Market, which we are not happy with, and will try to stop it soon. Operating business at Central Market is not a good idea when the pandemic is still active, and the Central Market is not spacious to move around. Therefore, we urge the traders to stop their business at Central Market and return back to APMC, where recently we have upgraded the facilities spending Rs 1.6 crore. Facilities like godown with a capacity of seven metric tonnes are available there along with roads, drains, lighting etc. There are plans to provide better facilities to the traders, and if they continue doing business there for a decade, they can own their godown. All these months, we have not charged any rent or fees for the facilities provided to traders at APMC. Further plan of action will be taken if the traders don’t return back to APMC”.
Board members of APM, Raghava Shetty, Praveen Kumar and Ashok Shetty were also present on the dais during the press meet.
