Traders oppose Panipat MC’s anti-encroachment drive

The anti-encroachment drive carried out by the Municipal Corporation (MC), Panipat, is in the limelight these days, with traders responding to it in different ways. While a group of traders is openly supporting the drive, another group is entirely against the MC’s decision.

Many shopkeepers gathered at Palika Market to oppose the anti-encroachment drive, demanding officials to allow them to display their goods 2.5 feet in front of their stores on the ramps. After holding a meeting that went on for 1.5 hours, the traders decided to keep their goods on ramps.

The MC had launched a special anti-encroachment drive in the city and broken the ramps and front elevations/sheds in various markets here. However, the MC had to face the shopkeepers’ opposition at some places.

Following the request made by members of the Samyukta Vyapar Mandal and market presidents, the MC had permitted the 2.5-feet ramps and balconies on the shops in all markets, but clearly said no shopkeepers would be allowed to keep their goods on ramps and that they had to keep their goods within the shutter of the shop.

Following the drive, the markets were not crowded and the traffic was flowing smoothly.

However, a group of shopkeepers opposed this decision of the MC and demanded permission to keep their goods on the ramps outside their shops. The members of Samyukta Vyapar Mandal Samiti gave a call to gather at Palika Market on Monday.

Following the call, the presidents of various markets of the samiti gathered and held a meeting on the MC’s move.

Krishan Aggarwal, president, Samyukta Vyapar Mandal Samiti, said after holding a discussion, it had been decided that all shopkeepers would keep their goods on ramps 2.5 feet in front of their stores and not follow the MC’s instructions. He said if any MC official came to initiate action against a shopkeeper or break the ramps, all shopkeepers would stand in solidarity and shut down the markets to oppose the civic body move.

Samyukta Vyapar Mandal Samiti general secretary Vishal Verma, Rajesh Suri, Suresh Bareja, Rakesh Chugh, Darshan Baweja, Inderjeet Kathuria, Manish Sadana, Sunil Chawla, Sanjay Verma, Nishant Soni, Sunil Kansal, Sagar and other traders were present during the meeting.

On the other hand, the MC on Monday continued to take action against such encroachments in Mobile Market and Devi Temple Market. MC XEN Gopal Kalawat said no one would be allowed to keep their goods on the ramps outside their shops. All were happy with the MC’s action, he said. They had initiated action to remove encroachments from the MC land and didn’t disturb the shopkeepers, he said.

Haryana Tribune