TENSE ATMOSPHERE PREVAILED IN ANURADHAPURA WHEN KIOSKS DEMOLISHED

Atense atmosphere prevailed in Anuradhapura town when the municipal council demolished the stalls of pavement hawkers in front of the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital. The pavement hawkers had arguments and altercations with the officials of the municipal council who came with Police protection.

The officials with the help of the police demolished 74 stalls that had existed there

for more than 30 years.a spokesman for the Anuradhapura municipal council said that a step was taken to enhance protection of the hospital. However the traders who accused the municipal council of taking an arbitrary decision in the interest of the business community.

Member of the Ekamutu Trader Society Kasul Madusanka Karunaratne said a larger number of traders were carrying out business in pavements as well as other areas of the town including in front of the Kidney Hospital but the municipal council ignored it.

“Municipal Commissioner claims to have taken this step to provide protection to the hospital. Our stalls were demolished without prior notice.we had been running business in front of the hospital for more than 30 years to earn a pittance to maintain our families. We have obtained bank loans to put up the stalls and now we have been left without means to settle them. Municipal Council has charged Rs.120 for the floor area of 20 square ft. per day. One of the pavement hawkers who had been selling meal packets died of a heart attack when he was informed to remove his stalls. He was a lame man who had earned a pittance to maintain his mother.we have been subject to a serious injustice”

Meanwhile Municipal Commissioner Ajantha Gunawardene said the pavement stalls were removed on the request of the hospital director.