Bhubaneswar, Oct 19: The vegetable vendors of Bhubaneswar’s Unit-1 have decided to postpone their scheduled strike, set to begin on October 20.
This decision came after they received assurances of their demands being met during a meeting presided over by the Central MLA of Bhubaneswar.
Earlier, the vegetable vendors at Unit-1 Haat had resolved to go on strike if their demands were not addressed. They had submitted a seven-point charter of demands to the state government.
The strike had raised concerns about a shortage of raw vegetables, not just in the capital city but across the entire state of Odisha. This was because the transportation of vegetables from Maharashtra, Bengal, West Bengal, and Telangana would come to a halt.
The Raw Vegetables Traders Association had expressed their grievances, citing issues such as road blockages near SBI caused by the Unit 1 Durga Puja Committee and the removal of a plastic market by the roadside. Additionally, they had requested the allocation of 10 acres of land in Bhagbanpur.
The primary demands of the association included the construction of a two-storey market building in Unit No. 2, providing accommodations for all traders from AG to Rajmahal in Unit 1 Haat, and discontinuing temporary plastic markets, winter clothes bazaars, and the sale of idols during various festivals.
The strike's consequences were projected to affect not only Bhubaneswar but also nearby regions, including Puri, Brahmagiri, Nimapada, Astarang, Kakatpur, Khurda, and Jatni.