Merchants take out a protest march to the Munnar panchayat office on Friday.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Merchants staged a protest in front of the Munnar panchayat office on Friday demanding the removal of all unauthorised roadside shops in the hill station.
According to organisers, the protest was jointly held by the Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithy (KVVES), Vyapari Vyavasyi Samithy, and Munnar Hotel and Restaurant Association. C.K. Babulal, Munnar unit president of KVVES, inaugurated the event.
“A traffic committee meeting held in September had decided to clear all shops that encroach on roadsin the panchayat. Authorities should complete the eviction process. The increasing number of such shops are posing a threat to traditional merchants in Munnar,“ said Mr. Babulal.
According to Munnar panchayat secretary Udayakumar, an emergency panchayat committee meeting had decided to put on hold the eviction drive. “I have informed the District Collector and Devikulam RDO about the situation. Further action will be based on the directives from the district administration,” said the official.
“The merchants’ associations has submitted a letter to the panchayat secretary demanding to resume the eviction drive,” said Mr. Udayakumar.
If the panchayat authorities fail to remove the roadside shops, we will hold district-level protests, said the merchants.
Meanwhile, officials said that new shops were erected in the panchayat, including in Rajamala, within days after the eviction drive was put on hold.
Published – November 08, 2024 07:23 pm IST
