GUWAHATI, April 2 � The Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) along with the district administration today vacated the Machkhowa vegetable market from the Tarun Ram Phukan Road in order to make the area free from congestion.
On March 31, the corporation had issued a 24-hour notice to the traders doing business in the area to vacate the plot of land, according to the Supreme Court order. The market was running in the area since 1998 and the locals of the area have been complaining about overcrowding in the area due to the vegetable market.
�The drive was carried out today to shift the traders, to which they agreed earlier. But despite the 24-hour notice and the court order the market was running in the area without any regard to the court order. Due to this we had to take action today,� said GMC Commissioner Puru Gupta.
�Our purpose is to make the area free from congestion and shift the traders to a better place with more facilities for the market�, he said.
The traders on the other hand have decided to go to the court against the corporation. �Other than the 24-hour notice, a seven-day notice was also issued to us by the GMC asking us to vacate the land. The traders sitting here for past several years cannot wind up their business in 24 hours. Due to the sudden drive by the corporation, the traders have to incur heavy losses and we would go to the court demanding compensation,� said Nayan Uzir, working president of the Machhkhowa Saak Pasoli Khusura Byabasayee Unnayan Santha.
�We are not against the court or the GMC�s order but we need a suitable place to run our business. The Corporation wants us to shift to Pamohi, an area out of the city, which would adversely affect our business,� he said. The traders� body has asked the government to locate them at a suitable place near the Guwahati Jail or on the backside of Sonaram field.
