Mangaluru: A delegation met Dakshina Kannada district Deputy Commissioner Sindhu B Rupesh and Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) Commissioner Ajith Kumar Shanady to urge them to allow the wholesalers and retailers to return to the Central Market in Hampankatta from the APMC yard.

They claimed that the APMC Yard in Baikampady lacked the basic facilities.

It can be noted that the district administration had decided to shut the central market and asked the fruit and vegetable wholesalers and retailers to move to the APMC yard from April 2.

Though the decision was taken to prevent the large gatherings from forming at Central Market in order to contain the COVID-19 virus, the MCC also said that the existing market building is in a dilapidated condition and that shifting of the market is the need of the hour.

Initially, wholesale dealers refused to move to the APMC yard claiming that it is too far from the city and will cause them to incur losses.. However, they changed their decision after the MCC warned that their trade licenses would be cancelled if they refused to move.

Now, a delegation has alleged that even basic facilities are absent at the APYC yard and have demanded that the market be moved back to the Old buildings in Central Market.

CITU district general secretary Sunil Kumar Bajal, Central Market Vendors Association president Musthafa Kunhi, general secretary Janardhan Salian, members Anil Kumar, Thousif, Haneef and others were present.