High drama as GLADA, MC remove encroachments in Chaura Bazaar
High drama was witnessed at Chaura Bazaar on Thursday when a team of the Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA) and the Municipal Corporation took action and sealed shops at the Pink Plaza market, which were illegally occupied by shopkeepers, and also removed illegal encroachments from the market. Belongings of the shopkeepers were also taken away by the MC.
As the team reached the market, the shopkeepers gathered at the place and did not let the officials carry their work. A shopkeeper was seen clinging to her belongings and not letting them to take away a trunk in which she had kept her items.
Slogans were raised against the GLADA and the civic body for taking away the livelihood of these shopkeepers. In the meantime, Rehri Pheri Association members also reached the spot. They staged a protest and raised slogans against the GLADA team and termed the action taken as unjust and also indulged in a verbal spat with the employees undertaking the drive. Seeing the things getting out of control, SHO Kotwali, Gagandeep Singh also reached the spot and pacified the agitating shopkeepers. Afterwards, the officials were allowed to carry the drive.
A member of the Rehri Pheri Association said today’s action taken by GLADA was unfair and they would take the matter to the court. “A designated place should be allocated for street vendors from where they can do their work and earn livelihood,” he said.
“It was in 2014 that a national policy was formulated as per which it was decided to give a designated place to the street vendors but nothing has been done in this regard so far,” he said.
A shopkeeper whose belongings were taken away by the MC said he was running the shop for the past 25 years.
“Today we are being asked to move from here. Who will take care of us as we are earning from this place only. Not only mine but the livelihood of five persons employed by me is also affected. The government should allocate a vending zone for us,” he said.