Bhubaneswar veggie vendors put strike on hold after assurance 

The Unit-1 vegetable traders’ association on Thursday put their protest on hold following the assurance of fulfilment of their demands in a meeting chaired by Bhubaneswar (central) MLA on Wednesday night. 

Informing about the development, the association’s president Arnab Kumar Sahu said, “Yesterday we had a meeting with MLA Ananta Narayan Jena, BMC’s deputy commissioner and the IIC of the Capital police station at the Capital police station. In the meeting, they gave assurance that they would take steps to fulfil our demands after analysing them after Laxmi Puja. Keeping the festive season in view and taking the assurance into consideration, we have put our protest on hold.”

Association’s secretary Kabiraj Swain said, “It was decided in the emergency meeting that there would be no winter garment and plastic shops near the market this year. Plus, the BMC won’t allow any makeshift vendors to sell items along the road close to the SBI.” 
The decision of the association came as a huge relief to the capital residents who were worried after the announcement of the strike.

During the ongoing Navratri, most people consume vegetable items. Had the association stuck to its decision, it would have a huge impact on city dwellers. 

“People were worried since the declaration of the strike by the association. They feared that the price of vegetables would go up in this festive season. We would decide our future course of action after Laxmi Puja,” said a member of the association. 

Following the decision of the association, traders said they have reduced the prices of the vegetables. “We are happy with the decision and which is why we have reduced the prices of the vegetables,” said a trader. 

The association’s demands included creation of parking lot, drainage system and eviction of illegal encroachment by makeshift vendors.

They had threatened to stop selling vegetables from October 20.