Asifabad: Vegetable traders in Asifabad held a strike (bandh) on Monday to protest the promotion of selling vegetables at Vivekananda and Gandhi Chowks instead of the Jubilee Market.
The Jubilee Market was built with Rs 3 crore after the district was formed to help reduce traffic problems in Vivekananda Chowk. Then Collector Champalal and MLA Kova Lakshmi supported its construction. The market has all the needed facilities to sell chicken, mutton, fish, fruits, and vegetables. For the past three years, businesses have been operating from this market.
However, many vegetable traders and tribal leaders are upset because some people are trying to shift the market activities to other places. Tribal association leaders recently gave a petition to Collector Venkatesh Dhotre. They said that moving the market would hurt the Rajampet Adivasi Gram Panchayat, as it is the community’s main source of income.
MLA Kova Lakshmi also visited the Jubilee Market and strongly warned officials. She said that all trading should continue at the Jubilee Market and threatened to protest in front of the Collector’s office if the market is moved.
Since there was no change in the officials’ decisions, vegetable traders closed the market on both Monday and Tuesday. They said they were losing money because people were buying vegetables at Vivekananda and Gandhi Chowks instead.
DRO Lokeshwar Rao also submitted a request during the Prajavani public meeting. He asked the officials to take action and ensure that all vegetable trading happens only at the Jubilee Market.
