Mangaluru, June 09, 2020: Following yesterday’s announcement by the Central Market Merchants Association that they would be shifting back to the Central Market on June 9, Tuesday from the APMC yard at Baikampady where they had moved during the lockdown in April, the City Corporation has today ensured that all entrances leading towards the Central Market are blocked with barricades. Police are also heavily guarding the area in order to prevent the traders from shifting back to the Central Market.
The Association which had convened a press meet on Monday had announced that the traders would shift back to the Central Market as lockdown rules have been relaxed. It may be mentioned here that the vendors had to inevitably shift to the APMC yard at Baikampady in April following an order to that effect by the MCC which had argued that social distancing was not possible in the old market building. The MCC also has plans to demolish the building to facilitate construction of a new market complex.
However, the vendors who had shifted to the APMC yard were in for trouble as the yard lacked basic amenities. They had also suffered losses after fruits and vegetables perished during the recent rains.
If the Association’s legal advisor Manmohan Jois argues that the High Court has stayed the shifting of traders to the APMC yard and demolition of the Central Market Building, the MCC authorities say otherwise and add shifting back to the Central Market will be against the rule.