Neidilhoutuo Sechü
DIMAPUR, AUGUST 30
WHILE government structures built at lakhs and crores of rupees lie unused, local vendors struggling to meet both ends meet face an uphill task at the market place exposed to the elements.
A glaring case in example is the Dimapur Urban Haat located near Dhansiri Bridge. The empty sheds are an eye sore especially hundreds of vendors fill the roads and lanes in the nearby Supermarket complex barely 500 metres away.The Urban Haat venue was only used once, the day it was inaugurated in 2008 to commemorate nothing less than the 60th anniversary, of the establishment of the Naga Council. The unutilized location is a sad commentary to the memory and celebration of the presence of the Naga Council
There is only one constructed marketing shed in the Super market area. Even the ones that have roof protection are all rickety structures with majority plastic and thatch roofs.
While the ever busy market opposite to the ancestral Rajbari continues to attract more and more customers each day for the availability of a variety of products, the increasing number of vendors is flourishing. Nowadays some vendors are even seen occupying the main highway passing through to sell their products.
But the increasing number of vendors has not evoked a positive response from the concerned authority.
Meanwhile vendors aired their difficulties as they try to carry out their business in the heat, dust and rain, without a roof top to shelter them and their merchandise.
Loreni Ovung, a vegetable vendor hailing from Wokha village reserves a tongue in cheek comment to describe the condition for the vendors. She says “It’s not a new story for us bathing in the rain”. She added that more often than not the vegetables exposed to the rain and sun gets spoilt.
Amongla Imchen from Longjang village under Mokokchung district pointed out that “the fresh look of vegetables also contribute to the price of vegetables but long exposure to the sun, dries the fresh look, while in the rain vegetables get spoilt.’Either way vendors lose out.
Oreno Ezung, another vegetable vendor from Wokha had this to say “Our only sheds are the big trees. We will be immensely glad if at least we are provided with a roof to run business.”
Regardless of the lack of equal facilities in the marketplace, the Dimapur Municipal Council (DMC) collects an amount Rs 20 daily from all the vendors in Dimapur. This has left vendors without a roof wondering if the concerned authorities notice their plight.
It’s not just missing covered stalls but Super Market falls short in other areas as well.
In a single word ‘disaster’ is what best describes the area when trapped rainwater turns the areas into a muddy zone and on ‘sunny’ days dust raises itself. Lack of adequate sanitation is evident in the myriad dumping sites close to the vicinity of the market area.
The unhygienic situation is also a health hazard just as much as roadside vendors occupying the roadside have led to traffic congestion.
Understanding all these problems, the pace of the government’s initiative towards the welfare of the common people becomes questionable.
Talking to this reporter over phone, the president of Naga Council, Bangerloba Ao suggested that the Super Market be shifted to Urban Haat site as it is lying unused.
Eastern Mirror has learnt that the Minister Department of Industry and Commerce, currently out of station, is committed to addressing the issues raised by the vendors and to study the option of relocating the present bazaar to the Dimapur Urban Haat site.
