As many as 115 permanent traders doing businesses at the Market Building under the banner of the Central Market Association (CMA) closed down their shops on Monday when the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) could not take measures to evict illegal vendors from the Market Building area of Unit II.
One of the busy market places of the city wore a deserted look. Buyers were returning from the market with empty hands.CMA members took out a procession from the Market Building to the BMC office demanding eviction of the illegal vendors.They submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister highlighting their issues and the apathetic attitude of the BMC and other concerned authorities.
According to CMA secretary Pradyumna Kumar Jena, BMC Mayor Ananta Narayan Jena called them for a discussion in the BMC office. After the discussion, the CMA called off the strike. A six-member team was formed to decide on eviction of the illegal vendors.
The team included CMl leaders, the BMC Deputy Commissioner and Recovery Officer, ACP Dillip Das and Traffic ACP Binod Das.
At the meeting, it was decided that 146 vendors, who had gone to the court against the eviction drive, could do their businesses in the Market Building, said Jena.
“If the BMC fails to fulfil our demands, we will again go on strike by closing down the market,” added Jena.