Mundera Mandi sealed for counting; traders fear losses

Mundera Mandi in Prayagraj sealed by administration ahead of vote counting on June 4, causing fears of huge losses to traders with fruits and vegetables locked inside.

In view of the counting of votes on June 4, the Mundera Mandi in Prayagraj has been sealed by the administration. However, the fruit and vegetable traders fear this might incur losses to them in huge amounts upto several lakhs as farm produce in large quantities has been locked inside.

With last phase on Saturday, counting centres are being readied for counting on June 4. (Pic for representation)

Traders fear that the fruits and vegetables may rot inside the mandi and will not be worth for sale.

The traders claimed that Mundera Mandi was to be sealed from June 1 to June 5 in view of security arrangements for EVMs that have been locked in strongroom on the mandi premises. However, the mandi has been sealed from May 28 itself following which large quantities of fruits and vegetables have also got locked inside. The traders are not allowed inside the mandi premises.

Moreover, traders have also no place to store fruits and vegetables being transported to mandi from other states. Local farmers are also not harvesting their produce of vegetables as there is no space to keep them, traders claimed.

The traders said that the present season being of mangoes, a large quantity of the fruit stored in the mandi might get destroyed soon.

The traders have approached the officials over this problem but to no avail. Moreover, onions, garlic, apples, grapes, bananas, shimla mirch, etc are imported from other places. Many traders have already made bookings for its import. However, traders are now worried about their storage.

Many traders give cost of production of tomatoes, watermelons etc to farmers and purchase the produce later. As the mandi is locked, farmers have not harvested the crops yet. The administration is even not allowing them to sell them on roadsides, they alleged.

Fruit and vegetable vyapar mandal president Satish Kushwaha said goods of over six dozen traders is stored inside the mandi. Traders may suffer loss if the produce gets destroyed, he added.

Meanwhile, security personnel have surrounded the Mundera Mandi premises. Due to allegations of EVM rigging, administration is not taking chances and has sealed all entrances to the mandi premises. Officials said that traders will be allowed entry from the night on June 5.