Aurangabad, May 31:
Disappointment prevailed amongst the business fraternity after the additional commissioner of Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) conducted a hearing of the shops, which were sealed by the civic squad a fortnight ago, but postpone the decision of re-opening them, today. The decision would be taken on next Monday!
As reported earlier, the AMC has sealed 40 shops in the city. However, the traders were requesting the AMC to remove seals of their shops for the past few days. Meanwhile, the traders and shopkeepers claimed that they were assured of removing the seals of their shops today. Hence they camped at the AMC headquarters office till late in the evening but was in vain.
It may be noted that the police have filed cases against traders stating that there was a rush of customers (more than the capacity) when their essential shops got opened during the lockdown period. The police also registered cases accusing few traders of operating business by opening the shops without permission. Accordingly, the AMC sealed the shops of the traders who were booked by the police.
Two days ago, the state government has circulated an order stating that the local administration should take a decision regarding the traders and opening of the shops. Hence, the hearing was scheduled to be held on the AMC campus at 10 am, but the AMC started informing the traders and shopkeepers about it since 12 noon. However, within an hour the traders and businessmen gathered on the AMC campus. The hearing was held before the additional municipal commissioner B B Nemane at 4 pm. Later on, Nemane suddenly left the hearing. As a result, the paper regarding the decision deprived the signatures of the municipal commissioner and the additional commissioner. The civic officials told the traders that the proposal will be sent to the district collector (after the signatures of these two officers) and the shops would be open immediately after his approval. Till 6 pm, no decision was taken in this regard. Late in the evening, the PA of the additional commissioner told the business fraternity that the decision on re-opening of the shops will be taken on next Monday.
As a result, the traders and shopkeepers left the office campus with disappointment. Meanwhile, they have planned to gather and camp at the collectorate office tomorrow morning.