Roadside vendors hit streets against civic body

Fuming at eviction drive, they seek alternative arrangements

Roadside vendors on Thursday took out a mammoth rally in the city condemning the Mysore City Corporation’s (MCC) recent drive evicting mobile eateries and carts selling cut fruits.

The roadside vendors who gathered on the premises of Kote Anjaneya Swamy temple in Mysore palace north gate took out the rally under the banner of Sri Chamundeshwari Shramajeevi Rastebadi Vyaparigala Sangha.

Led by p resident of the association Manjunath Dodmane, the traders numbering around 500 marched up to the office of MCC via Hardinge Circle, Gun House and B Rachaiah Circle. 

In his appeal to the deputy commissioner of MCC K N Dharmappa, Manjunath Dodmane sought for alternative arrangements with the dependents of traders left in lurch. He also sought the officer to issue guidelines, that will be surely followed by all. He also promised to conduct business henceforth without hampering the smooth flow of traffic. To maintain hygiene, hot water and disposable plates will also be used and measures will be taken not to litter the area, Dodmane promised further.

They also aired the same promises at the office of deputy commissioner where they met additional deputy commissioner Naga Nayak. The vendors finally decided to decide the future course of their struggle after holding discussions with deputy commissioner P S Vastrad and MCC commissioner K S Raykar.

The K R Sub-division police had made heavy bandobust anticipating violence during the protest. A stretch of New Sayyaji Rao road from B Rachaiah Circle towards K R Circle had been closed for traffic, allowing vehicles only from K R Circle side.

MCC had cleared roadside eateries following the outbreak of epidemics recently.

Vatal Paksha

Former MLA Vatal Nagaraj led Kannada Chaluvali Vatal Paksha members staged tamate chaluvali (beating drums) in front of the office of deputy commissioner on Thursday demanding the government to bring out a white paper on drought relief works. The protesters demanded the government to instead constitute all party committee and take up relief works on war footing. The elected representatives- from parliament members to GP should be entrusted with the task of relief works, Vatal Nagaraj demanded.

CPI (M)

Scores of activists of Communist Party of India (Marxists) staged a protest demonstration in front of the office of deputy commissioner condemning the State budget. The agitators led by district secretary Basavaraj termed the budget as elite-friendly favouring only moneybags. The irony is though the budget size is Rs one lakh crore, no sops announced in the budget will help the poor.