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Arhtiyas demand entry of at least 700 customers to main sabzi mandi
Arhtiyas are also demanding that the mandi be allowed to operate for six days a week
While the administration and the market committee are struggling to manage the rush at the main wholesale vegetable market (sabzi mandi) of the city near Jalandhar Bypass, the Ludhiana Sabzi Mandi Arhtiya Association has sought passes for at least 700 customers to enter the market as, they said, they were suffering losses.
The arhtiyas are also demanding that the mandi be allowed to operate for six days a week.
Arhtiyas handed over a list of likely customers to the mandi to district mandi officer (DMO) Jaswinder Dhaliwal on Thursday. The DMO is a member of the three-member committee, formed by deputy commissioner (DC) Pradeep Kumar Agrawal, to look into the demands of arhtiyas and plan accordingly.
Besides Dhaliwal, the other members of the committee include sub-divisional magistrate (SDM-west) Amrinder Singh Malhi and additional deputy commissioner of police-1 (ADCP) Gurpreet Singh Sikand.
Following complaints of a huge gathering at the sabzi mandi, the administration had, on April 3, restricted the sale of vegetables and fruits in the mandi to three days Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and only the listed suppliers, who sell vegetables to street vendors in the city’s 95 wards, were issued passes to enter the market.
Ruing losses due to decline in sales, the arhtiyas have demanded that the mandi be opened for six days a week. They also demanded that the customers, other than vendors, should also be allowed to enter the mandi.
President of the a association Gurkamal Singh said, “Arhtiyas have been facing losses as their regular customers are not allowed to enter the market. The vendors, listed with the market committee, make purchases from select arhtiyas only, as they illegally buy vegetables from other markets situated outside the city,” he said.
“Arhtiyas also face losses as perishable items rot after a day. We are ready to take all required precautions, but the administration should open the mandi for six days a week,” added Singh.
Dhaliwal said, “Arhtiyas have handed over the list of their regular customers, but a decision on whether to allow their customers or not, will be taken at a meeting of the committee expected to take place on Friday.”
The then DMO Jasbir Kaur had tested positive in April and it is suspected that virus victim ACP Anil Kohli had also contracted the virus while he was deputed at the mandi. The former DMO has recovered and discharged from hospital.
