The Hindu Business Line : Vegetable vendors damage Reliance Fresh outlets in Orissa

Tough going: A Reliance Fresh store damaged by activists of the Bhubaneswar Vendor Association. A large number of vendors, under the banner of All Orissa Roadside Vendors’ & Small Shops Association staged demonstrations outside the outlets and threw stones forcing the company to down the shutters.

Our Bureau

Bhubaneswar, Sept 25

The initiative of Reliance Retail to open three new Reliance Fresh outlets in the city met with stiff opposition from small time vegetable traders and vendors here on Tuesday.

A large number of vendors, under the banner of All Orissa Roadside Vendors’ & Small Shops Association (AORVA) staged demonstrations outside the outlets at Gopabandhu Square, Louis Road and Cuttack Road and pelted stones forcing the company to down the shutters.

The city police had a difficult time to prevent the protestors from causing severe damage to the ready-to-be-opened-outlets.

Although the police had informed the company officials not to go ahead with their formal inauguration ceremonies, the company had made all preparations to open the outlets.

Down shutters

The police requested the company officials to close down the outlets soon after the angry vendors started chasing away the outlet staff. Clarifying their position, a company official said that marketing of vegetables at the outlets will in no way affect the farmers.

Vegetables will only occupy five per cent of the floor space at the outlets, while other essential home products will be put in the remaining area, he said. The official further clarified that the company will purchase vegetables from the farmers at a price higher than the prevailing price in different areas.

Caught unawares, the company officials had started making arrangements to organise a press conference immediately after the incident. They, however, informed presspersons again saying that the media conference had been cancelled and would be held at a later date.

The President of AORVA Pratap Sahu, however, said that the vendors will not allow the company to open its outlets in any part of the State.

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