Mangaluru: With the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) yet to take a final decision on permitting Sunday Bazaar street vending near Town Hall, even two weeks after assuring vendors of a resolution, the vendors’ association has warned of intensifying its protest.MCC commissioner Rahul Ratnam Pandey visited the Sunday Bazaar on July 30 and asked vendors to wait for a week while the civic body considered the issue. However, the corporation has neither permitted vending at the location on Sundays nor announced a final decision. Instead, it carried out an eviction drive in the area on Sunday, prompting anger among vendors.As per the verbal orders, Sunday Bazaar vendors had commenced their business on Sunday, said BK Imtiyaz, honorary president of the Dakshina Kannada District Street Vendors Association (CITU). He condemned the eviction operation carried out by the city corporation, calling it a highly inhumane act.“For the past two Sundays, the city corporation officials scrutinised the vendors’ documents to identify them and verify if they belonged to the state of Karnataka. As per a verbal order, the Sunday Bazaar vendors brought their goods, including vegetables, and began trading. The sudden raid by corporation officials, allegedly at someone’s instigation, has caused both shock and financial loss to the vendors,” said Imthiyaz.Anticipating better sales due to the Nagara Panchami festival, the vendors had brought in more stock. Despite the vendors pleading, the city corporation officials carried out the drive denying vendors the opportunity to continue business. The association and another organisation, Beedibadi Vyaparastara Shreyobhivriddhi Sangha, have submitted a list of street vendors to the city corporation. However, the officials have not yet finalised the list, he said.“Despite provisions in the street vending law that permit the conduct of weekly markets, eviction operations are still being carried out. If the operations continue, vendors will intensify their protests,” he added.The MCC commissioner said that the city corporation has been verifying the list of street vendors to check whether they are natives of Karnataka. Vending zones will be identified and eligible street vendors will be given permits to conduct business soon, he said.
