IMPHAL, Dec 15 (NNN): Imphal West district magistrate on Thursday promulgated prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC in the ‘New Temporary Market’ of the city in view of the prevailing tensions among the street vendors over the vending space.
The restriction for a week will be effective from noon to 6 am every day, the order passed by Imphal West district magistrate Th Kirankumar on Thursday stated.
The order banned assembly of five or more persons which is likely to turn unlawful and carrying of firearms, sticks, stones, weapons or objects of any description which can be used as offensive weapons.
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It further directed street vendors and individuals not to leave any belongings at the scheduled area after the notified period of vending while restraining passerby and individuals from entering the scheduled area during the restricted hours.
The district magistrate imposed the prohibition based on information from the commissioner of the Imphal Municipal Corporation expressing apprehension of agitations by groups of street vendors that could lead to law and order problems in the crowded area of the city.
Besides, the Imphal West superintendent of police reported that there were apprehensions of causing serious breach of peace disturbances to public tranquility and grave danger to human life and property due to the seething agitations by women vendors of the New Temporary Market.
Based on the information, the district magistrate promulgated the prohibition under section 144 of CrPC 1973 for a period of seven days with immediate effect from noon to 6 am every day.
The prohibition will be effective to the whole area of the ‘New Temporary Market’, the order stated.
In a move to ease the traffic congestion caused by the street vendors in Imphal, particularly on the streets at Khwairamband Keithel, IMC provided a vending space for the street vendors at the ‘New Temporary Market’.
A notification issued by the IMC on October 16 last permitted street vendors to sell their goods in the said market on a first come first serve basis.
The vendors are also allowed to do their business in two different shifts, from 6 am to noon and 1 am to 7 pm every day while banning them from vending their goods on the roadside in and around the Khwairamband Keithel and Ima Keithel (all-women-run market).
However, groups of the street vendors have been agitating while alleging that most of them could not sell their goods at the space provided for them as some “powerful vendors” occupy the spaces the whole day, violating the order of the IMC.
The street vendors have been pressing the pertinent authorities of the state government to enforce the rules listed in the IMC order strictly so that they can do their business in either of the two shifts.
