Nuapada: The poor, especially the small roadside vendors, had expected to get some steady income after this panchayat headquarters town was turned into a district headquarters about two decades back.
They hoped that with the elevated status, Nuapada would have more floating population and their lifestyle would change for the better. However, the poor people of the town now realize that the district status has only changed the fortunes of the government officers and political leaders.
Worse, youths are getting unemployed with the administration continues to demolish the makeshift shops in the name of road expansion. The small traders find it difficult to make both ends meet. The wooden ‘thelas’ have become the sources of sustenance for them, a report said.
Nuapada town, located along NH-353, had been expanded from Telipada Chhak to Kacheri Chhak after it was accorded district status in 1993. Hundreds of jobless people had set up their shops at that time which helped many to eke out a living.
Meanwhile, three years ago, the town became a Notified Area Council (NAC). Since then the NAC authorities have been demolishing the shops of roadside vendors leaving more than 150 small traders workless. Though the matter was brought to the attention of the administration on many occasions, it yielded no result.
Left with no option, the vendors are now selling their items like clothes, fruits, tea, foods on ‘thelas’.
Shashibhusan Mallik, who has been running a small hotel for the last 15 years, finds it difficult to maintain his family of six after the NAC authorities had evicted him. Though he has been hawking foods in the town, the earning is uncertain. It is not possible for him to continue the studies of his children, Mallik said.
An egg vendor Bikash said his earning from the thela is satisfactory but he is not sure when he has to vacate the place.
When contacted, NAC Executive Officer Ramchandra Majhi said soon there would be eight market complexes in the town. Once the buildings are ready, the vendors and the jobless would be rehabilitated there, he added. PNN