Panipat MC drive sparks traders’ protest over seizures of vehicles

The anti-encroachment drive carried out by the Municipal Corporation (MC), Panipat, has once again come under scrutiny after MC officials picked up vehicles belonging to shopkeepers and customers during the action. Shopkeepers and market associations opposed the move, saying such action in the name of removing encroachments was unacceptable.

The MC conducted the drive on Tuesday, during which the team started picking up vehicles parked by consumers in front of shops. Some shopkeepers also opposed the action. They said they supported the anti-encroachment drive but harassing customers could not be tolerated.

Notably, the MC had launched a special anti-encroachment drive in the city and demolished ramps, front elevations and sheds in various markets in June last year. The civic body had faced opposition from shopkeepers at some places during that drive as well.

On Tuesday, the MC team, led by XEn Gopal Kalawat and ATP Deepak Rana, carried out the anti-encroachment drive in the market. The team arrived with two tractor-trolleys and started removing boards and goods found beyond the prescribed limits. The MC officials carried out the drive after conducting videography of encroachments allegedly made by shopkeepers by allowing ‘rehris and fadis’ in front of their shops in the markets.

As rehri owners saw the tractor-trolleys arriving, they fled the market. Meanwhile, the MC team started picking up vehicles belonging to shopkeepers and consumers that were parked outside shops in the market.

However, shopkeepers began opposing the action and alleged that MC officials had started harassing customers by picking up their two-wheelers. The MC officials also picked up a two-wheeler belonging to a specially abled person, but later returned it. Scores of consumers were seen requesting officials to return their vehicles.

Advocate Mehul Jain, a social activist, said the anti-encroachment drive was a good step, but harassing common people who come to markets for shopping was wrong. Such action should not be taken by authorities. If the MC wanted to make markets encroachment-free, it should first provide proper parking space for shopkeepers as well as customers. If a person comes to the market on a two-wheeler, he would not park it near the old bus stand or at any other distant parking facility, he said.

Vishal Verma, President, Samyukt Vyapar Mandal Samiti, said harassing traders and customers in markets was wrong. He said action against encroachments to make markets clean and organised was acceptable, but troubling customers and traders was not.

“Shopkeepers in markets are already facing problems due to online marketing and a shortage of consumers because of high inflation. If customers are harassed in such a manner, how can businessmen survive?” he said.

Verma said political leaders and the district administration should first make proper arrangements for parking and facilities in markets and stop such actions.

Gaurav Leekha, President, Panipat Samyukt Vyapar Mandal, said shopkeepers and market associations supported the anti-encroachment drive to keep markets neat and clean, but picking up customers’ vehicles was wrong.

“If customers coming to markets are harassed by any authority, then how can a shopkeeper survive?” he said.

“We have also brought the issue of the MC officials’ team picking up vehicles and harassing customers during the anti-encroachment drive to the notice of MLA Pramod Vij,” Leekha said.