TURA: Traders from Ampati, led by Boldamgre MDC, Stevie Marak, have raised questions over the floating of a tender for allotment of commercial space at Ampati Horticulture Market Complex by the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) given that the same was constructed by the government through the Horticulture department.
In their complaint to the GHADC secretary, the traders informed that the Horticulture department is already in an agreement with the Ampati Market Committee, whereby it authorises them with the responsibility of maintenance and up-keeping of the market infrastructure including allotment of stalls and commercial spaces.
“In view of the agreement and as the market is not constructed by the district council, it does not have any authority to allot stalls or commercial spaces in the market by calling tenders. The call for tender is without jurisdiction and we request you to recall the tender process,” the traders said.
However, the traders said that if the district council has been authorised by the government to invite tender, the interests and welfare of the local vendors, who earlier did business at the market and the locals of Ampati, should be looked into.
The traders also said that the security amount fixed at Rs 50,000 and Rs 1,00,000 for stalls and commercial spaces and Rs 5,00,000 and Rs 10,00,000 for allotment of godowns and storage units for tribals and non-tribals respectively is too high.
They urged the authority to scale down the amount for both tribals and non-tribals to Rs 10,000 and Rs 20,000 for stalls and commercial spaces, and Rs 50,000 and Rs 1,00,000 for godowns and storage units.
