This story is from May 6, 2021

Balangir: Asked to close shops, sellers dump veggies on the road

Vegetable sellers at the daily market in Balangir on Wednesday dumped their stock on the road as a mark of protest against the lockdown imposed by the state government to contain the rise in Covid cases.
Balangir: Asked to close shops, sellers dump veggies on the road
Vegetables lying on the road in Balangir town on Wednesday
Vegetable sellers at the daily market in Balangir on Wednesday dumped their stock on the road as a mark of protest against the lockdown imposed by the state government to contain the rise in Covid cases.
Vegetables worth hundreds of rupees were dumped on to the road by the vendors after they had a squabble with officials. Trouble started when the sub-collector, tehsildar, executive officer of Balangir municipality and police reached the vegetable market to close the shops as per state government guidelines.
Vendors requested officials to give them a few hours so that they could sell their vegetables. But the officials refused to budge.
The sellers said the vegetables would perish if they fail to sell them on the day. “We were seeking two more hours to sell the vegetables. But the officials refused to grant us extra time,” said Amithabh Nag, president of the vegetable sellers’ union.
He alleged that the guidelines were communicated to them very late on Monday and they did not find space in other vending zones to sell their produces.
“We had conveyed the guidelines to the union and told them to carry on with their business during the permissible hour. The sellers became rigid and wanted to sell their produce beyond the stipulated time, which could not be allowed,” said Bipin Bihari Deep, the municipality’s executive officer.
Later, the issue was resolved after the administration called an emergency meeting with the officer-bearers of the union. The local urban body allotted sellers another designated vending zone other than the regular marketplace. The union agreed to the decision taken by the administration.
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