Silicon city RWA extorting vendors, allege residents

Despite directives from the Uttar Pradesh government and the district administration, Amrapali Silicon City Residents Welfare Association are reportedly charging

Despite directives from the Uttar Pradesh government and the district administration, Amrapali Silicon City Residents Welfare Association are reportedly charging money from vendors to allow them to set up kiosks inside their residential premises.

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The vendors in turn have been jacking up prices of essential items — like vegetables and fruits — in order to recover their costs.

The Gautam Budh Nagar district administration, after witnessing a surge of Covid-19 cases, had earlier fixed the rate list of essential items to check black-marketing during the ongoing lockdown.

Residents of Amrapali Silicon City in sector-76 of Noida, claimed its residents’ association – Silicon City Social Welfare Association (SCSWA) — has been collecting ₹12,000 per month from each vegetable vendor and Rs 8,000-10,000 from each milk vendor.

A resident of Amrapali SIlicon City who did not want to be named said that vendors not willing to pay are not allowed to set up kiosks inside the premises. “The SCSWA is not allowing residents to step out to buy essentials and instead forcing us to purchase essentials at a higher prices,” he said.

Rajesh Kumar, another resident, said that in total disregard to rules set by the district administration, the SCSWA was imposing its own set of norms. “They didn’t even allow my milk vendor for doorstep delivery after he refused to pay money. Every item is being sold at a higher price here,” he said.

When contacted, Deepak Pandey, the secretary of SCSWA, accepted that the association was collecting a fixed amount from the vendors, before allowing them in the society. “Though I had objected to this proposal personally in the general body meeting, but it was finally approved with a majority,” he said.

GB Nagar commissioner of police (CP) Alok Singh said that such extortion by residents’ association was ‘illegal’ and will not be tolerated. “I have ordered the SHO concerned to enquire about this matter. If the residents’ complaints will be found true, stern action against the SCSWA officials will be taken,” he said.