Mangaluru : APMC president K. Krishnaraj Hegde asked wholesale vegetable and fruit merchants to resume their activities at the place allotted within the APMC premises at Baikampady. They will face legal action if trading activities in the Central Market area are continued, warned .

Mr. Hegde told reporters here  on Wednesday  that most of the 160 licensed and non-licensed merchants, who were trading at the yard for the last four months, have moved back to the Central Market area after the Mangaluru City Corporation withdrew its notification of April 7 directing traders to do their business at the APMC Yard.

“The notification was withdrawn for technical reasons. Traders have perceived it as permission to resume trading at the Central Market, which is in dilapidated condition,” Mr. Hegde said.

He said that Deputy Commissioner K.V. Rajendra had, on Tuesday, issued a fresh notification banning all trade activities at the Central Market area in view of the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic. The Deputy Commissioner has asked traders to continue their activities at the APMC Yard, Mr. Hegde noted.

“Yet many traders are seen doing business at the Central Market. The APMC has powers to initiate action and cancel licence. Penal provisions will be invoked against traders not having licence. Do not force us to take such action,” Mr. Hegde said.

Of the 160 wholesale merchants, 60 have obtained licence from the APMC. It is mandatory for all to obtain licence, submit weekly accounts of trading and remit user charges to the APMC.

The committee has spent over ₹ 1 crore to upgrade infrastructure at the yard after merchants moved there following the closure of the Central Market by the city corporation four months ago. APMC did not collect rent from merchants since then following a government directive. Now, APMC has asked the merchants to obtain licence, pay rent and user fee.

Merchants would be allocated godowns based on their trading, Mr. Hegde said and added that the yard would be improved further. Merchants should extend cooperation by conducting trading in the spacious yard to prevent the spread of COVID-19, he said.