Pics: Ramesh Pandith
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (JS)

Mangaluru, Apr 1: CITU on Wednesday April 1 held a protest in front of the commisioner's chamber in Mangalore City Corporation demanding alternative arrangements for roadside vendors, whose petty shops the MCC has been demolishing over the past one month.

Sunil Kumar Bajal, representative of roadside vendors said, "From past 4 years the corporation has been wanting to vacate the roadside vendors but they have not made any alternative arrangements for them. A town vending committee was formed and four meetings were held. A survey was conducted. They had promised us to give id cards and called us for the same when Vinay Kumar Sorake, minister for urban development came to Mangaluru for a programme. But they did not give us the id cards."

He further added, "We had held a protest on March 19 in front of Mangalore City Corporation and gave a memorandum to the deputy commissioner of revenue Raju Mogaveera. He had promised us that a meeting would be called and a decision taken. But they neither called us nor have they taken any decision. At the same time, they have continued the raids and seized our goods. When we went to take back our goods they asked us to pay fine. But even though we paid the fine, they have not returned our goods."

Revenue DC Raju Mogaveera promised convene a meeting on April 14 or 15, after which the protestors left the spot.

Mohammed Mustaffa, president CITU and Santhosh Kumar, secretary CITU were present at the protest.