SHILLONG: Iewduh, the biggest trading hub of the State, is unlikely to reopen at least for some more weeks, unless the authorities change their mind.
After maintaining a stoic silence for the past few weeks, KHADC CEM Titos Chyne on Sunday clarified that the stand of the Council was to keep the market closed considering the rise in COVID-19 cases in the State.
Speaking to The Shillong Times, he made it abundantly clear that there was plan for reopening the market. As of now, only the vegetable wholesale market (Iew Die Lang) has a makeshift arrangement at MUDA parking lot, “as we wanted to address the plight of farmers”.
Chyne said that the KHADC did not pursue further the matter (of reopening of Iewduh) as the government had conducted inspection of the site but found it unfeasible to open.
“The government later called us for talks on Iewduh but we suggested the government to wait”, he said.
Meanwhile, out of sheer desperation, many of the small traders of Iewduh have begun to sell vegetables and other perishable commodities in different localities. Road-side stalls have emerged at several habitations. In some places, new mini markets have created.
However, a big chunk of traders of Iewduh, who deal in fish & meat, grocery and provision, textiles and clothes are the worst suffers due to the prolong lockdown. Traders from the rural area, who pick up all their merchandise from the big Mahajans of Iewduh, are also in a state of immense difficulty. The normal practice is that these traders collect all their goods from Iewduh on credit, sell the stuff and pay up the following week as they return for replenishment of stock. With Iewduh remaining shut, these traders neither have access to the big merchants nor do they have credit facility elsewhere. If Iewduh doesn’t open shortly, availability of grocery and other non-perishable essentials may not be sold in the rural markets.
Meanwhile, the Barabazar Merchants’ and Traders’ Association is scheduled to meet the Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Monday to ventilate their plight and seek government intervention for resumption of trade, even if partially.
