Surat textile traders protest civic body action to shut shops over lack of fire NOCs, other clearances

At the protest, held in front of the FOSTTA office at Millennium Market on Ring Road, the traders said they have lost 10 days of business and are also facing problems in submitting GST as their offices have been shut down. Meanwhile, the labourers working at these shops have been asked to take leave till the situation eases out.

The textile traders have also made a request to the FOSTTA to resolve the issue and get the shops opened at the earliest.

There are over 170 textile trading markets which house over 75,000 traders of mostly sarees and dress materials. Clothes from these markets are exported to different countries.

While traders of only a few markets have been affected by the SMC action, the protest was joined by other textile traders too who showed their solidarity to the agitators.

Meanwhile, the protest led to traffic snarls on the main Ring Road, causing inconvenience to the people. Huge tailbacks of vehicles were seen on the main road. Later, the traffic police and Salabatpura police reached the spot and removed the protestors.

Manoj Agrawal, former FOSTTA president, said, “The SMC should understand that these textile markets are old and in those days, there were no rules to acquire BUCs and fire NOCs. Textile markets have also worked on emergency exits and have even installed fire extinguishers at their shops. Many traders have taken the shops on rest and the business has been hit for the last 10 days.”

Senior textile trader Tushar Jain, whose shop has been sealed, said, “We are facing huge losses as we have not been able to meet demand of traders from other states. It is important to deliver on time because if we fail to deliver, they will start working with new traders.”

Jain added, “Even our office work has been affected and we have not been able to pay our GST bills on time. Over 10,000 labourers have been affected and they are spending days without wages and work. We want the SMC to work on the issues and get the shops opened as soon as possible.”

Surat city mayor Daxesh Mawani said, “FOSTTA president Kailash Hakim and a few other textile market presidents came and met us on Friday. They have requested us to get the sealed markets open, as the traders are facing losses. They have put up the issue before us and we have assured them that we will take the matter up with the state government to come up with an amicable solution.”

Mawani added, “The FOSTTA leaders had also requested two months’ time so that they can get the FIRE NOCs. On the BUCs, the leaders said the builders have to take care of it.”

Talking to the Indian Express, FOSTTA president Kailash Hakim said, “In our meeting with the Mayor and Municipal commissioner Shalini Agrawal, we requested a solution to get the shops open so that the traders do not have to suffer. We have also requested them to look for some amicable solution. We have said that the presidents of all the affected markets will give affidavits to the municipal authorities that they will procure fire NOCs and even BUCs but their shops should be open first.”

Hakim added, “We have got a positive response from the municipal officials and they have told us that they will hold a meeting and work towards a solution.”