Shopkeepers on road

Ludhiana observed a bandh at Ferozepur Road

Ludhiana: May14, 2013: (Rector Kathuria): More than 500 small shopkeepers on Ferozpur Road Ludhiana observed a bandh.On the call given by joint Action committee of “Aarti Chowk Shopkeepers Association”, “Bharat Nagar Chowk area Shopkeeper Association” and  Agar Nagar Shop Keepers Association. The Shopkeepers were protesting against the atrocires action of MCL and Police against them in name of implementations of directions of High Court.

                       The Leaders of the Action Committee Mr. Pawan Kumar Puri, Charanjit grewal and Ramesh Rattan explained to the media that Ferozpur Road is the only road where some parking was developed by the MCL some year back. Mr. Deepak Badyal showed the document where the MCL has issued the tenders to develop these parking’s in 2007, and they have spent crores of rupees from public funds to develop these parking. But, now all of a sudden the local authorities has not only changed their version regarding   these space but also began to torture shopkeepers by absolutely prohibiting them and their employee from parking their cycle or scooter in marked public parking’s in  front of these shops. It is to be particularly mentioned that these parking are neither made on part of Main Road nor on service lanes and are not causing any hindrance to the smooth flow of traffic. They further told that some police personal are permanently deputed on the road by the police and they are not permitting any vehicle of customer to approach these shops to give order or making purchases.

      The police personal standing  here mishandle with the visiting customers and their employees. Some time they puncture  their vehicle and deflate their tiers. These activities are causing anguishes and harassment to their customers.

    Mr. Pawan puri told that now no customer comes to these shops and if some activities are happening here it is only to deliver order booked on the phone or sometime customer from remote areas  unaware of these action may visit them and often become victim of these actions .They are facing losses in their business. The sales of those shops have already come down from 80% to 90% and it become difficult for these small shop keepers to generate sufficient income to met with daily expenses of these shop and for met their daily expenses to run their family affair smoothly. They are passing their time in utter tense situation and it began to effect their peace of mind and their families  also getting effected by these actions. Some  veteran Shopkeeper Mr. Raj Kumar and Mr.Madhok near Aarti Chowk feel that because large number of police personals  are deputed  on these duties so the situation of Law and Order has deteriorated unprecidently.

One more Shopkeeper and leader of the association Mr.Sushil Kumar Aggarwal told that they began to face  problems  as many employees began to left these shops because neither small shopkeepers are able to provide a parking space of their cycle scooter in the shops nor are they able to park these at some other place.

After the Bandh Shopkeepers conducted a rally at Aarti Chowk which was addressed by MLA Bharat Bhushan Ashu, Deputy Mayor R.D Sharma,  Councilor MLC Mr.GOGI  and later taken a demonstration to D.C office. They were carry play card with Slogans that “NADARSHAHI FARMAN MURDABAD” etc.   Shopkeepers tried to get explaination from D C  about the real situation and want to know why they are discriminated and victimized by prohibiting  them from parking while an all the other road these parking spaces are provided by the authorities by marking Yellow lines. They also wanted the clarification that parking is not permitted in constructed exclusive parking area.

   They also demanded if there is any proceeding in count which is affecting their interest then if must be made known to them through public information system. The view and fact put before the court must be made known to them and may be consulted with their representative.

They also demanded that free legal aid by way of providing them competent advocate  by the government be given to them.  As all of these Shopkeepers are running  their business in legitimate manner and paying lacs of taxes to Government.

On this occasion some other trade associations also made announcement to support these shopkeepers in their just cause Among  them were MR.D P MAUR, Ashok Jindal, Rajan Shukla, Amarveer Singh.