IMPHAL: In a bid to preserve the sanctity of the 400-year-old Ima Keithel (mother's market), Asia's biggest market run exclusively by women, the state government has made the presence of male vendors in the market a punishable offence."Male vendors cannot sell their wares in and around the Ima Keithel ... If any man is found selling goods at the women's market, legal action will be taken under the Manipur Municipalities Act, 2004," municipal administration, housing and urban development (MAHUD) minister Th Shyamkumar Singh said on Friday at a press conference.On Monday, the MAHUD department will launch a drive to crack down on shops, buildings and other commercial establishments within the Imphal Municipal Corporation (IMC) area that are violating any of the department's rules and regulations. Installation of fire extinguishers and placement of dustbins will be some of the things that will be checked and legal action taken if shops and commercial establishments are found not complying. Action will also be taken against those constructing buildings in the Imphal municipal area without prior permission from town planning and Imphal Municipal Corporation officials.In December, Shyamkumar had warned licences will not be issued to shops in Imphal municipal area if they did not have dustbins. The corporation also made it mandatory under the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 for shops and other commercial establishments to install dustbins to segregate waste. In separate notices issued by the IMC, installation of fire-fighting equipment was made compulsory under the Imphal Municipal Building Bye-Laws, 2013.

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