Onion traders clash with officials over eviction drive at Dasanapura APMC | Bengaluru News
Bengaluru: Tension prevailed at Dasanapura Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) in Nelamangala, Bengaluru North district, Tuesday as onion traders staged a protest against an eviction drive initiated by officials of the department of agricultural marketing, alleging arbitrariness, bias and violation of due process.The protest turned volatile when some traders threatened self-harm by consuming poison, accusing officials of forcibly closing and sealing shops and shifting their produce onto the road to vacate nearly 160 shops in A and B Blocks of the market.
Raising slogans against APMC secretary Doreswamy, the traders alleged that the eviction was being carried out despite the matter pending before a high court division bench.The protesters claimed the authorities approached the court with “incorrect information” and were attempting to displace existing traders to accommodate those being shifted from Yeshwantpur APMC. “Our shops are being sealed to make way for others. We are being pushed onto the streets,” said Sriram Reddy, onion trader at Dasanapura APMC, claiming the seniority-based allotment system was being bypassed.As the protest escalated, assistant secretary of Dasanapura APMC, Radha, tried to pacify the traders but was surrounded by protesters. Radha said, “The eviction is being carried out as per HC directions and under provisions of Eviction Act. Notices were issued earlier to 160 shops. These shops were leased for 54 months, which has now ended. Traders from Yeshwanthpur APMC are to be shifted here, and existing traders will be accommodated in C Block.“However, traders questioned the rationale behind relocating them while bringing in traders from another market. The situation remained tense for several hours, with traders demanding that the eviction drive be halted until the court delivers a final verdict.
