Local retailers enjoy ‘price monopoly’; Shilllong’s consumers should not be denied discounts offered by e-commerce platforms, says Nongrim Dorbar Shnong
SHILLONG, July 4: In a rare pushback against the KHADC, the Dorbar Shnong of Nongrim Hills has challenged the Council’s ban on ‘Blinkit,’ accusing local retailers of maintaining a price monopoly and arguing that Shillong’s consumers should not be denied the discounts offered by e-commerce platforms.
The Dorbar Shnong dismissed fears that the quick-commerce giant would cripple the local economy, describing the service as a potential “blessing” for the public. Rangbah Shnong Bantylli Narry clarified that the No Objection Certificate (NOC) was issued by the Executive Committee (EC)—not him alone—to a local resident, B Kurbah, who had partnered with Blinkit.
Directly addressing the KHADC Chief Executive Member’s (CEM) claim that Blinkit would affect 4,000 local shops, Narry urged the Council to consider the city’s six-lakh residents. He noted that while two lakh people are daily wage earners, the remaining four lakh comprise a middle class increasingly squeezed by high prices.
“A monopoly exists in Shillong where shopkeepers offer no discounts and sell strictly at the MRP,” Narry stated. “What is the harm if Blinkit offers a 20% discount? If a family saves even Rs 200 on groceries, it is a win-win situation. People should have the freedom to choose.”
Narry pointed to the resilience of Police Bazar as evidence that traditional and digital markets can co-exist. “When Flipkart and Amazon arrived, people thought Police Bazar would be wiped out. Instead, those shops are thriving and new ones are opening,” he said, suggesting the KHADC should have focused on integrating local retailers into the e-commerce supply chain rather than enforcing a blanket ban.
The controversy has also highlighted a political shift by BJP MLA and former Cabinet Minister AL Hek. Ironically, Hek’s own firm, Mebaai Security and Service Organisation, had been contracted to provide the manpower for Blinkit’s Shillong operations.
Hek confirmed he had personally approached the Dorbar Shnongs of Pynthorumkhrah and Nongrim Hills to secure NOCs for warehouses, promising that jobs would go to local residents. However, following a meeting with the KHADC CEM, Hek pivoted to support the Council’s protectionist stance.
“The CEM made it abundantly clear that Blinkit will not be permitted as it threatens the livelihoods of 4,000 retail shops,” Hek said. Despite his firm’s initial involvement, Hek now maintains that the “bread and butter” of local traders must be the priority.
The standoff has sparked a massive debate in the city, pitting the traditional authority of the KHADC against a growing consumer demand for modern, competitive retail services.
