GUWAHATI, March 26 � Hailing Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi�s tough stand for uprooting syndicates from different trade sectors, the Save Guwahati Build Guwahati (SGBG) has said that it won�t be easy for the government to abolish syndicate system unless concerted pressure is put from the highest level of government.
�After a survey of trade hub of Northeast, the Fancy Bazar, at our own level, we found that a good number of police personnel, government officials, political forces and powerful mafias are involved in the loop and people are afraid of uttering a single word about it,� SGBG president Dhiren Baruah told The Assam Tribune.
�Though uprooting syndicate system would bring down the prices of essential commodities by 50 per cent, a mere announcement by the Chief Minister would not serve the purpose,� Baruah added.
The SGBG also alleged that the Guwahati Municipal Corporation has completely failed to uproot the illegal encroachers, who put up their stalls on both sides of the pavements of the roads of Fancy Bazar.
�Pavements by the sides of Murli Dhar Sarma Road and Hem Barua Road are constantly occupied by the encroachers. Nearly 85 traders are running their business illegally on these two roads for decades, without any proper intervention by the corporation,� he added.
During the survey, it was also found that the monthly income of the kingpins of such syndicates is several lakhs of rupees resulting in ever increasing prices of essential commodities alleged the NGO.
�Moreover, loading and unloading of goods is going on inside Fancy Bazar and on the MG Road (riverside), without any intervention of the authorities concerned, though it is completely illegal. Thus we believe that the government must act sincerely to address every aspect of syndicate system and adopt a foolproof mechanism to deal with the problem,� added Baruah.
