Meerut: More than four months after the Allahabad high court’s order to relocate as many as 14 flea markets within eight weeks of their removal, no alternative places have been provided to the hawkers so far.The order, dated December 15, 2016, to re-establish the flea markets within eight weeks had come in the backdrop of a writ petition filed by Meerut Vyapar Mandal president Jeetu Singh Nagpal, who had asked for alternative locations.Kamal Singh Prajapati, president of the weekly flea market, said, “Nearly 18,500 street vendors were removed from the old flea markets on the ground that they caused massive traffic chaos. But no other location has been provided to them till now. Some of them have been forced to drive rickshaws while others keep shifting from one place to the other to earn a little. Two students were ousted from their schools because their parents were unable to pay the school fee.”The decision to not allow flea markets was taken after the HC order on a petition filed by RTI activist Lokesh Khurana in November 2014. Subsequently, the Allahabad high court, on May 11, 2016, had ordered the Meerut district magistrate (DM) to rid the city roads of weekly flea markets and provide alternative places to vendors.The civic administration, however, failed to comply with the court order following which Khurana had filed a contempt of court plea on September 9, 2016. This led to another HC order on September 23, 2016 to deduct salaries of the DM, municipal commissioner and other top officials. It was only after this that the administration swung into action and gave the hawkers a deadline to remove their set-ups.Dinesh Yadav, property officer, Meerut Municipal Corporation, said, “A town vending committee was formed after the instructions of the high court and they are still under the process of finding an alternative location to re-establish the flea markets.”RP Singh, project officer, District Urban Development Authority (DUDA), said, “So far, two vending zones – near Suraj Kund and PL Sharma Hospital – have been finalised. Other locations to accommodate vendors from 14 flea markets still need to be decided. Efforts are being made to settle this quickly.”

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