The traders of Jatni town have set a new example for the entire trading community of Odisha by shifting their roadside shops and trading establishments on their own to cooperate with the district administration in the expansion of roads for the Nabakalebar festival scheduled to be held in Puri next year.
According to reports, members of the Jatni Traders’ Association shifted their shops located along the main road under the Jatni Notified Area Council (NAC) as per an order of the Khurdha district administration.
It may be mentioned that the district administration had served eviction notice to the Traders’ Association on the eve of the Ganesh Puja this year. However, the eviction drive was put on hold at the request of the association which assured the administration that its members would shift all their shops and trading establishments along the main road of the town after the puja.
Senior members of the association said they expected the Government to reciprocate their gesture by taking steps for their early rehabilitation.
“Though the association had been requesting the State Government and the district administration time and again to rehabilitate 448 traders of Jatni town, who had set up their establishments along the main road of the town some 40-50 years ago, they have not taken any steps in this regard,” lamented traders’ body president Sundarshan Sundaray.
When contacted, Jatni NAC executive officer Ashutosh Samal said he had apprised a high-level committee of the demands of the association.“These traders would be rehabilitated after the committee takes up the matter with the district Collector,”he added.