The vending zone of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation at Unit-VI. Pictures by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, Sept. 11: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation might propose but it’s the vendors who dispose.

That’s precisely what has happened as traders in several vending zones of the city have refused to adhere to a set of norms that the corporation had scripted for them.

Even though a month has elapsed since the corporation issued the order, most vendors, barring those in 20 vending zones, have preferred to ignore the diktat that asked them to repaint kiosks, use dustbins and plant trees in their area of business.

On its part, the corporation is yet to carry out the threat of cancelling the licences of those vendors who dared to defy the order. The corporation’s deadline ended on August 24.When the kiosks came into existence in November 2006, they were painted in green “to give the city a green look”. But over time, most of these kiosks have lost their colour coat. Billboards put atop the kiosks have also disfigured.

Sources said that the areas around most vending zones were filled with litters because of lack of dustbins. The vendors alleged that the private company, which collects revenue by displaying advertisements, is not carrying out the cleaning and maintenance work regularly.

“According to our agreement, the private company is supposed to spend about 60 per cent of the total maintenance cost of these vending zones. But, they are not keeping their words,” said president of All Odisha Roadside Vendors’ Association Pratap Sahu.

At present, the city has as many as 56 vending zones, of which 36 are being run in public-private-partnership mode. Not only the vending zones, but the kiosks of Odisha State Cooperative Milk Producers’ Federation Limited (Omfed) and Odisha State Poultry Products Cooperative Marketing Federation Limited (Opolfed), apart from various STD booths and flower kiosks, were also directed by the civic body to conduct a spruce up before August 24. But, they, too, have failed to comply with the direction. Sources said the city had 80 Opolfed kiosks, 587 Omfed kiosks, 150 STD booths and 17 flower kiosks.

“Every year on the Local Self-Government Day, the corporation chalks out various plans to beautify the city. But it does not ensure that the proposals are being carried out. The city has lost its beauty because of lack of measures by the corporation to check that its various guidelines are implemented properly,” said Sanatan Bhoi, a resident of Mancheswar.

Corporation sources, however, said it would initiate action against the violators. “The shop owners must understand that the responsibility of giving a fresh look to the vending zones lies with them. We will initiate actions against the shop owners who have failed to comply with our directions,” said a senior official of the civic body.