The Self Employment Youth Association (SEYA) on Thursday demanded shop allocation at the newly constructed Lamphel Supermarket in Imphal West to its 22 members who have been selling second-hand goods since 2011 at the Lamphel Supermarket.
Speaking to the media at Manipur Press Club in Imphal, secretary of SAYA Netrasori Chiroim informed that their shops at the supermarket were dismantled by the state government on September 2, 2020 with an assurance of providing new shops.
She said that while they were waiting for the official order for allocation of shops at the newly constructed supermarket, they were surprised to see advertisements for rental with phone numbers on the doors of the shops.
“When we called the displayed number, a doctor picked up the call who said that we can get the shop on rental basis by providing a deposit of Rs. 3 lakhs,” she stated.
In this regard, they approached the Mayor of the Imphal Municipal Corporation who informed them that all the shops have been allocated to different private parties, she further informed.
Only around 130 individuals opened shops at the supermarket prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and the total number of shops in the newly constructed market is above 300, she said and alleged such is an act of ‘suppressing their rights’ by the IMC.
She also stated that several memorandums have been given to the then MAHUD minister and other concerned authorities requesting for allocating them the shops in the past.
The secretary lastly drew the attention of Chief Minister N Biren and MAHUD Minister Y Khemchand to look into the matter and allocate them the assured shops.
