Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Traders to down shutters today

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Traders all over the city will down shutters on Saturday as part of a State-wide agitation to protest against the entry of monopolies into the retail sector in Kerala.

Leaders of the Kerala Samsthana Vyapari Vyavasayi Samithi and the Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi (KVVES) told reporters here in separate press conferences that the agitation was planned to press the government for legislation to prevent monopolies from entering the retail trade sector.

District president of the KVVES Peringamala Ramachandran said 48 new format retail shops had opened all over the State despite opposition by all political parties. He alleged that retail monopolies were responsible for the price rise in Kerala.

The failure to enforce the Essential Commodities Act, he said, has created conditions conducive for these monopolies.

He urged the government to honour its commitment to enact legislation to control retail monopolies.

Mr. Ramachandran said traders affiliated to KVVES would converge at Kallambalam on Saturday morning. From there, they would proceed to Thrissur to participate in a public meeting to be addressed by national leaders.

District president of the Kerala Samsthana Vyapari Vyavasayi Samithi N. Sudheendran and secretary Panangottukonam Vijayan said more than 20 lakh retail shops were facing the threat of closure owing to unhealthy competition from retail giants.

He urged the government to enact legislation to regulate monopoly outlets in the current session of the Assembly.

Mr. Sudheendran said traders affiliated to the Samithi would down shutters and take out a march to the Secretariat from the Gandhi Park at East Fort to press their demand.

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