The Arvind Kejriwal Government may invoke Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) against traders of Azadpur Mandi, the largest wholesale market in Asia, if they go on strike from Monday. Three rounds of meeting between the Government and trader representatives have so far failed to resolve the issue.
Traders are demanding to withdraw the order dated January 24, directing agents to charge six per cent commission, not from the seller, but from the buyer. The order was issued after the Delhi HC direction in October 2013 that six per cent commission should be charged from the buyer, not from the seller or farmer. The Government, on the other hand, said that there would not be any crisis of vegetables and fruits in Delhi.
On Sunday, Delhi Agriculture Marketing Board Minister Girish Soni made a surprise visit to Azadpur Mandi to assess the situation and convince the traders not to go on strike. Sources said that the Government has made all arrangements so that people of Delhi could not be faced any problem and they have already obtained permission from lieutenant-Governor to invoke ESMA if traders go on strike. Soni said the Government has appealed to all the farmers to Delhi and neighbouring States to send fruits and vegetables to the markets/mandis in Delhi as their sale will be adequately taken care off. “The Government will also ensure that fruits and vegetables reaching Delhi, are not sent out of Delhi but is exclusively made available for the residents of Delhi,” he said.
Mahender Sanpal, an elected member of the Azadpur Mandi, however, said, “We have decided to go on an indefinite strike from Monday unless this order is revoked. Azadpur itself has 3,800 commission agents who will protest at the mandi’s gates and prevent work from happening.” The High Court order says that instead of charging a 6 per cent commission from the farmer, the commission agent should take this from the wholesaler or retailer purchasing goods from him. The agents — the ones threatening to go on strike — claim this will lead to an increase in prices of fruits and vegetables not just in Delhi, but across north India one the other hand, the Government says it is only implementing a court order, but commission agents have been fleecing farmers till now and the onus of paying commission should rest on the buyer.