Berhampur, April 21: Revenue minister Surya Narayan Patra inaugurated Berhampur’s first vending zone in front of MKCG Medical College and Hospital today. The vending zone has been set up alongside NH 217, between Courtpeta Square and Gajapati Nagar Square. Housing and urban development minister Badri Narayan Patra was present at the programme.

Vending zones in the city has been a long-standing demand. The authorities have been promising to establish vending zones since 2004-05, when encroachments by small traders were removed from areas along NH 217.

Small traders, who depend on roadside business, were demanding more vending zones since they were incurring losses due to sudden anti-encroachment drives by the authorities, sources said.

“In all, 39 vegetable vendors, who were displaced from Kamapalli Jail Road a year ago, were rehabilitated in the Mardarajpur vending zone,” said BMC commissioner Bhim Manseth.

Each vendor, who are being allotted rooms, have paid Rs 10,000 as development charges and another Rs 10,000 as security per rooms.

The 8”X10” rooms with tin shades were allotted through lottery and the vendors would pay Rs 600 as rent per month, sources said. Almost all the vendors were happy after they got rooms in the vending zone. “We would conduct a bhumi puja on April 27 at the vending zone before selling vegetables,” one of the vendors said.

Ramahari Sabat, who was the oldest vegetable vendor in Kamapalli Jail Road and has been allotted room number six in the new vending zone, is a happy man. “I had been selling vegetables in Kamapalli Jail Road since 1977. When BMC demolished my shop a year ago, I faced a lot of difficulties to maintain my family. But I thank all those who helped us to get into the vending zone,” said Ramahari. Kalia Panda, who was allotted room number five, said it would have been better if BMC had constructed the vending zone first and then asked them to shift. “Still, we are happy,” he said.

Naveen Chandra Mahanty, another vegetable vendor who was displaced from Kamapalli Jail Road, is yet to get a room in the new vending zone. “The lottery to allot rooms in the vending zone was conducted on Bahuda Yatra last year and I remained absent because of some unavoidable reasons. I have applied to the BMC commissioner to allot me a room. I am ready to deposit the required amount. But it is yet to be finalised,” said Naveen.

Though most vegetable vendors who have being allotted rooms in the vending zone are happy with the arrangement and the location, some demanded immediate steps such as, a tubewell and provision for water and toilets in the complex.

Vendors of Gate Bazar, another crowded area of Berhampur, are ready for displacement if they were provided a proper vending zone. But the authorities have not been able to provide them an alternative vending site. Former revenue divisional commissioner Satyabrata Sahu had proposed the vegetable market at Gate Bazar to be shifted to an alternative site. Vegetable vendors of the area had also submitted a memorandum demanding a vending zone. “We hope to get a similar vending zone for us soon,” one of them said.

Since no vending zones were established, the traders whose encroachments had been removed, returned to their old places.

ORIGNAL

VENDING ZONE BRINGS SMILE ON THEIR FACE

(Gopal Reddy would provide photograph)

Sunil Patnaik

Berhampur

April 21, 2011:

At last The Silk City got its first vending zone. Revenue Minister Surya Narayan Patra inaugurated the first vending zone of Berhampur in front of the MKCG Medical College and Hospital here on the side of the NH 217 between Courtpeta Square and Gajapati Nagar Square in presence of the Housing and Urban Development Minister Badri Narayan Patra,

It has been a long standing demand for vending zones in the city. The promises for establishment of vending zones have been on since 2004-05, when encroachments by small traders were removed from the sides of the NH 217. As no vending zones were established, the traders whose encroachments had been removed again returned to their old place. The small traders who depend on road side business are also demanding establishment of more and more vending zones as they are facing losses because of the sudden anti-encroachment drives by the authorities, according to sources.

“A total of 39 vegetable vendors who were displaced from Kamapalli Jail Road one year ago were rehabilitated in this Mardarajpur Vending Zone”, said Commissioner BMC Bhim Manseth. Every vendor who are being allotted the rooms have paid Rs. 10 thousand as development charges and another Rs. 10 thousand as securities per each rooms. The rooms with 8 X 10 feet size covered with tin sheet were allotted on lottery basis and the venders are supposed to pay Rs. 600 as rent per month, according to official sources.

Almost all the vendors are happy after they allotted rooms in the vending zone. “We would conduct a Bhumi Puja on April 27 next at the vending zone and selling vegetable”, they said. A total of 49 vegetable vendors were displaced from Kamapalli Jail Road one year ago. Now 39 are being allotted rooms and we expect that another 10 vendors would be allotted rooms in the vending zone by the BMC soon, they said.

Ramahari Sabat who was the oldest vegetable vendor in Kamapalli Jail Road and has been allotted room number 6 in the new vending zone is very happy now. “I was selling vegetables in Kamapalli Jail Road thirty-four years ago since 1977. When the BMC demolished my shop there one year ago, I faced a lot of difficulties to maintain my family. But I thank all of them who helped us to get into the vending zone as they save our family”, Ramahari said with emotion.

Kalia Panda who was allotted room number 5 said that it would have been better if the BMC constructed the vending zone first and ask us to shift instead of displace us. “Still then we are happy. We would try to forget last one year as a bad dream”, he said.

Meanwhile Naveen Chandra Mahanty another vegetable vendor who was displaced from Kamapalli Jail Road where was selling vegetables since last 25 years is yet to allot a room in the new vending zone. “The lottery to allot rooms in the vending zone was conducted on Bahuda Yatra last year and I remained absent due to some unavoidable reasons. I have applied the Commissioner BMC to allot me a room. I am ready to deposit the required amount. But it is yet to be finalised”, Naveen said in despair.

Though most of the vegetable vendors who are being allotted rooms in the vending zone are happy with the arrangement and the location of it, some demanded immediate steps to provide a tube well or provision of water, urinal, lavatory in the complex.

It is an irony that the vendors of Gate Bazar, which is another crowded area of Berhampur, are ready for displacement if they are provided a proper vending zone. But the authorities have not been able to provide them an alternate vending site. The former Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC), Satyabrata Sahu had proposed the vegetable market at Gate Bazar to be shifted to an alternate site. It may be noted that the vegetable vendors of the area have in the past had also submitted memorandum for the purpose. “We hope a similar vending zone for us soon”, they said.