Mangaluru: “Vegetables worth Rs 50 lakhs have been damaged at the APMC yard owing to the rains that lashed the city on Monday. The district administration should bear the loss,” stressed Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) Opposition leader Abdul Ravoof on Tuesday, May 19.
As a large number of vegetables were damaged due to the heavy rains, the Congress’ verifying committee, headed by Ravoof, paid a visit to the APMC yard and listened to the grievances of the wholesale dealers. He then held a press conference and demanded that the district administration bear the losses incurred by the wholesalers.
“The central market in Hampankatta was moved to the APMC yard in Baikampady under the pretext of maintaining social distance. However, it has not sought the opinion of the Council before moving there. Basic facilities like power connection, drinking water connection, toilet facilities etc. are absent. Why has the district administration taken a hasty decision without providing basic facilities?” he questioned.
“Vendors should be allowed to conduct their business at the Central Market itself, till basic facilities at the APMC yard are available. A detailed report will be prepared by the verifying committee in this regard, which will be submitted to the district Congress president on Wednesday,” Ravoof added.
Committee members Bhaskar K, Praveenchandra Alva, Prathibha Kulai, Vasanth Barnad and Sadashiv Ullal were present.
Wholesalers should utilise godowns at APMC Yard
Meanwhile, Mangaluru North MLA Dr Y Bharath Shetty has asked wholesalers of fruits and vegetables to use the godowns set up at the at the APMC yard during the rainy season.
Responding to the Congress leaders’ allegations that the BJP government has not been responding to the grievances of wholesalers in APMC yard, Bharath Shetty said the godowns at the APMC yard are meant for the wholesale dealers only. “They should utilise it during the rainy season to prevent their things from being damaged,” he said.
Coming down heavily on the Congress leaders, Shetty said, “When the Congress was in power, they did not try to make use of the APMC yard even though lakhs of rupees were spent on it. Now that the BJP government is trying to use it properly, they are making irresponsible statements to gain political milage”.
