Mixed feeling of joy and fear among women vendors
By Phurailatpam Keny Devi and B. Rakesh Sharma
IMPHAL | Jan 7
Almost two years ago a natural disaster devastated the iconic women’s market in Imphal, a one of its kind in India, ‘Ema Keithel’ leading to many unbearable hardship of thousands of women vendors many of whom are sole breadwinners of their families.
However their sufferings are predicting to find some relief from January 22 onwards as the concerned authorities have assured them of shifting their vending spaces from the temporary market they are currently accommodated in, to the repaired original market complexes on this day.
Yambem Babuni, who is in her 60s selling traditional attires of Manipur, said “we are overwhelmed with the decision of shifting to the repaired market place as we would get the opportunity of selling our product in a separate section.”
She is one of the many vendors shifted to the temporary market located between Johnstone Higher Secondary School and BT Park.
She lamented about the drop in daily sales after shifting to the temporary market. “It is really disheartening when I compare the sale I was able to make in a day in original market shed and the figure these days. Sometime I have had to ask for money from relatives as my earnings were inadequate in this location.”
She continued inappropriate location hit the business.
K. Anandi from Sagolband Bijoy Govinda said “We are very happy that crumbled building has been rebuilt. But if we think about the construction style there is no point to be happy. I feel insecure. There is a big question mark about quality and safety of these complexes.”
She mentioned that some of the women vendors had approached the builders and they assured verbally that nothing would happen. “Just to make us see it for ourselves that the repaired building is safe we pray to almighty that an earthquake may happen before shifting to the rebuilt market shed and see if it can stand the shock.”
On the other hand PWD officials assured that the buildings of Ima Keithel No. 2 and Ima Keithel No. 3 will be completely safe and secure as the renovation works are done with all the latest technical support.
A consultant from West Bengal, Somnath Ghosh will check and review the quality of the two buildings after completion of the renovation works.
Rs. 21 crores has been sanctioned by the state government for the renovation works.
A PWD engineer said as MAHUD minister, Th. Shyamkumar had announced to hand over the two buildings to MAHUD department on January 22, 2018 “Phairen Panchamni day”, PWD is working on war footing to finish the renovation works.
More than 90 percent of the renovation works has been completed. Only painting, toilet construction and electric fitting are yet to be completed, the engineer added.
When enquired about the underground parking facilities, the engineer said parking will not be available as for now since it is not included in the renovation works.
“The plan to include underground parking may be under consideration,” he added.
The two buildings had been badly damaged by the massive earthquake on January 4, 2016. As a result women vendors of the two market buildings were shifted to a temporary market shed.
Ima Keithel is the only market in the world which is completely run and managed only by women.
Read more / Original news source: http://www.ifp.co.in/item/6374-city-market-to-shift-on-january-22