From Our Correspondent

 TURA: The Tura Super Market Traders’ Association (TSMTA) on Tuesday shut down all the shops in Tura Super Market in protest against a trade fair being organised by the A’chik Entertainment Society (AES) at Parade Ground, Tura.

The Association protested that every year prior to the Durga Puja and Christmas festivals, trade fairs are being organised which directly affects the sales and income of the traders of Tura town since it is only during these two festive seasons that the traders get some decent returns from their respective businesses.

TSMTA said they had taken up the matter with the Deputy Commissioner and the Superintendent of Police but no steps were taken by either of them.

Speaking to The Shillong Times, TSMTA president John Leslee K Sangma said, “Although many traders of Tura Super Market are being affected and facing big losses the District Administration is not taking any steps to rectify the problem.”

Stating that District Administration’s indifference to the problems of the traders of Tura is discriminatory and unjust, he said the Association in alliance with other NGOs will continue to keep the Super Market shut from Thursday onwards if the authorities fail to respond and act on their demands.

“We are not against trade fairs being organised but these fairs being held during the festive seasons upsets the whole balance of the business of the permanent traders of Tura,” Sangma said.

General secretary of TSMTA, Mrs AB Marak, said that there have been instances when the stall owners at the trade fairs had bought items from the Tura Super Market itself and resold them at higher prices at the trade fair.