Vendors to move court against rent hike by JMC

Vikram Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jammu, October 13

The Fruit and Vegetable Association, Sabzi Mandi, Parade Ground, has decided to move court against Jammu Municipal Corporation’s recent proposal to hike rent of shops.

Already putting up in a shambles at the Sabzi Mandi, shop owners in the area alleged that since the Sabzi Mandi came into existence, the corporation never addressed their issues, including repairing of existing shops, constructing more kiosks and providing basic amenities such as water, power and sanitation.

“We have often been sending requests and memorandums to JMC to look into our grievances, but instead of getting hollow assurances, nothing has been achieved so far,” said Subhash Chander Sharma, newly elected president of Fruit and Vegetable Association, Sabzi Mandi, Parade Ground.

There is a long pending demand for the modernisation of Sabzi Mandi, Parade Ground, which was given a go ahead by the Housing and Urban Development Department (HUDD) in 2016, but never matured.

The then Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh, who headed the HUD Department, had said that the plan included the construction of state-of-the-art cabins to vendors with good power and electricity facilities, besides installing water cabins at different places that may help them in keeping their vegetables clean and away from dust and pollution.

“This has remained only on papers. Besides, the recent order from JMC has come regarding 20 per cent hike in the rent of shops, which has loathed extra burden on us. We have decided to approach the court and bring stay on this decision soon,” said Sharma.

He said shopkeepers and kiosk owners in Gol Mandi area were already paying extra rent for the filthy and dingy spaces provided in Sabzi Mandi by JMC.

“Besides, there is no regular sanitation work. Even if it drizzles, the entire Mandi stinks badly. Many vendors have to run helter-skelter in the wake of heavy rain and much of the business is lost,” he said.