Women vendors, who had warned of intense agitation if the government fails to restore the dilapidated conditions of the market by February 10, hail minister.
TFM Report
The women vendors of the fourth Ima Keithel (Temporary Market) lauded MAHUD and social welfare minister O Henry for visiting the market on Tuesday and assuring that the renovation work will be commenced shortly.
Marisuba Khwairamband Ema Keithel Lup vice-president Wahengbam Luwangleima said that the market shed has been in a dilapidated condition after it was abandoned from March 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic.
The women vendors have been demanding its renovation for quite some time now. On Monday Luwangleima warned of intense agitation if the government fails to restore the market by February 10. She even accused the state government of giving step-motherly treatment to the women vendors of the temporary market.
She expressed happiness that the government is going to start the renovation work soon.
Earlier Luwangleima lamented that the temporary market has been ignored, when the women vendors of the market also hold licences and pay their taxes like their counterparts in the first, second and third Ima Keithel. During the shutdown of the market due to the pandemic, the three Keithel have been renovated, but the Temporary Market has been left out, she had said.
On the dilapidated condition of the market, Luwangleima had said that during the pandemic it has turned a garbage dump, the pillars are rotting and water seeps from the roofs during rainy seasons. The market place has also become a haven for substance abusers and some are even relieving themselves there, she added.
Meanwhile, a meeting has been called on January 7 for all the card holders of the Temporary Market. A release by Marisuba Khwairamband Ema Keithel Lup publicity secretary M Tamu stated that an association of all the card-holding women vendors of the market. They should bring along a copy of the card, a copy of AADHAR card and two photos in the meeting, she added.