Vegetable bandh8217; from today

The wholesalers of foodgrains and edible oils were very clear on the issue. President of the Poona Merchants Chamber, Rajesh Shah said that until there was a formal order from the minister, the strike would be on. 8220;A final decision on the issue will be taken at the State-level convention to be held on April 26.

The PMC is willing to abide by this decision,8221; he said. The Poona Merchants Chamber will hold its meeting late in the evening today to chalk out its strategy.

The Agriculture Produce Market Committee APMC, meanwhile, has chalked out elaborate measures to combat the indefinite bandh call given by wholesale traders dealing in vegetables, fruits, flowers, onions and potatoes from tomorrow. This is the second such strike call in wholesale markets during the last fortnight on the issue of shifting sales charges from the farmer to the consumer.

APMC chairman Pandurang Khese told The Indian Express that he would issue advertisements in various newspapers urging farmers to bring in their produce to Market Yard, Gultekdi. 8220;We will take all required steps to ensure that the bandh is defeated,8221; he asserted, adding that the entire staff of APMC would be deployed to assist in the smooth functioning of the markets. The APMC has also approached the Pune Municipal Corporation PMC seeking permission to set up temporary stalls in various parts of the city to prevent any kind of inconvenience to the consumer.

The Akhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat condemned the bandh call given by wholesale traders pointing out that resorting to a bandh was not the right way to resolve the issue, suspecting a political hand in the sudden move by the State government to issue directives to various market committees.

Speaking to mediapersons here today, Grahak Panchayat leader Suryakant Pathak said that instead of holding the consumers to ransom, the traders should stop collecting market cess so that the APMC does not get the revenue. Coming down heavily upon the APMC for its failure to provide any kind of facility to the farmers, he emphatically said that all the 280-odd market committees should be closed for their failure to function effectively.

When asked if he was in favour of scrapping the act, Pathak replied in the negative, but remarked that the APMC should give an assurance of providing facilities to farmers. While supporting the demand of the traders, he opined that none of the farmers had ever made a representation to the State government with this demand, which had taken this improper stand on the issue. He also expressed the willingness of the Grahak Panchayat to sell goods through various outlets in the city to defeat the strike.

Meanwhile, the Kumbharbaudi Phalbhaji Vikreta Sangh have also declared their support to the APMC and have decided to assist the Market Yard Committee officials in their endeavour to defeat the strike. The Bharatiya Kisan Sangh which has condemned the strike has urged the farmers to come out in full force with their produce and break the chain of the commission agents. In a statement issued here, Mauli Tupe, regional vice president of Bharatiya Kisan Sangh has urged the government to implement the Act in all the market committees failing which the sangh has thretened to resort to an agitation.

The commission agents plan to take out a morcha at the collector8217;s office tomorrow.