Wayside shop eviction: all-party meet demands rehabilitation of vendors

A roadside shop on the Munnar-Poopara route on the Kochi-Dhanushkodi National Highway connecting Munnar hill station.
| Photo Credit: JOMON PAMPAVALLEY

With the Munnar grama panchayat continuing with the drive to remove illegal wayside shops in the hill station, an all-party meeting called by Devikulam MLA A. Raja has demanded rehabilitation for eligible vendors.

At the meeting on Wednesday, political party leaders alleged that officials even demolished shops run by differently abled persons.

“The meeting demanded that panchayat officials call an emergency meeting of the panchayat committee to discuss rehabilitation of eligible vendors at the Munnar hill station,” Mr. Raja said.

“The authorities have removed some shops provided by the panchayat for the differently abled. These shops are their only source of income. The panchayat should ensure proper rehabilitation of eligible vendors,” said Mr. Raja .

Meanwhile, panchayat authorities said the eviction drive would continue as per the directive of the district administration.

“The panchayat will call an emergency committee on November 1 to discuss the issue. Within four days, the panchayat has evicted over 100 shops and another 100 owners have removed their shops. Without the administration’s directive, the panchayat cannot stop the eviction drive,” said an official.

“The illegal shops near the Lakkam waterfalls at Rajamala will be soon removed. Once it is over, the eviction drive will be almost over in the Munnar panchayat. The vendors in the area dump waste in nearby forest and waysides, which attract wild elephants to Munnar town,” said the official.

As per a report submitted by Munnar Divisional Forest Officer Ramesh Bishnoi to Idukki Collector V. Vigneshwari, wild elephants are coming to feed on the waste dumped by unauthorised shops. Of the 387 unauthorised shops, 71 are along the Munnar-Bodimettu National Highway, 215 along the Munnar-Mattupetty road, 51 on the Munnar-Udumalpet Highway, and 48 on the Munnar-Neriamangalam National Highway.

“Without removing the waste or arranging proper waste treatment facilities at these shops, the forest department cannot prevent the entry of wild animals to the Munnar hill station,” said a forest official.