Vendors shifted from Cantonment market

Belagavi: Despite the strong opposition of traders and farmers, the district administration closed 30 years old wholesale vegetable market at the cantonment area using the police force on Tuesday.
The administration blocked the vegetable-laden vehicles heading towards the old vegetable market even at the long distance and tried to divert them to the new wholesale vegetable market which opened at the APMC yard on Tuesday.
Huge police bandobast had been arranged at the old market. DC Vishal R and DCP (law and order) Seema Latkar visiting the spot.
Traders strongly condemned the action of the district administration calling it an atrocity against the farmers and traders.
However, traders said they won’t shift to the APMC yard alleging that the new market opened at the APMC yard is insufficient as there are limited shops. Besides, many shops among them have been already allotted to some new vendors. Vendors said they have maintained relationships with the farmers since the past three decades and given the best of the best service with proper rates. Because of their good relation, farmers are joining hands with them in this fight.
Advocate AG Mulawadamath said the action of the district administration is completely wrong. He said traders have decided to shift the market to some other place. They have invested Rs 11 crore on the land and infrastructure. The administration has supported directly and indirectly for the establishment of private market outskirts of the city. Now, the administration has taken a contrary stand which is unfair. He said the action of the administration will be challenged in the higher court.
On Monday, hundreds of traders and farmers took out a huge protest rally in the city opposing the decision of shifting the old vegetable market to APMC yard.