Archives

From W.T.J.S. Kaviratne, Ambalangoda special correspondent

According to the Urban Councils ordinance vegetables have to be sold in the public market. Allowing a fair in the middle of the town had affected the traders in the public market as the fair is located in a strategic point of the town, said the Chairman of Ambalangoda UC, G.M.S. De Silva (UNP). The vegetable traders in the public market found it extremely difficult to pay even the taxes.

Due to easy excess, the consumers used to purchase their vegetables from the fair, he said.

The fair originated by the roadside and it was comprised of only vendors of leafy vegetables and chiefly plantains. Later when the vendors were provided a stretch of land behind the co-operative building that belonged to the Ambalangoda UC, even the traders having stalls in the public market shifted to the fair.

the leader of the Opposition of Ambalangoda UC, Aruna Pradeep of (PA) said that the vendors had started to sell fish on the busy streets of the town. Referring to the shifting of fair he said nearly 100-200 poor families lived on the fair and shifting it to an unsuitable location in the town had gravely affected the vendors. UC Member, J.W. Jayantha (UNP) said that a series of public markets in the adjoining towns had to be closed due to the fairs. He said selling fish along the streets and in public places should be stopped.

He said the previous administration constructed a fish market spending over 100 lakhs of rupees and the present Leader of the Opposition when he was the Chairman allowed the vendors to sell fish by the roadside. Vice Chairman of Ambalangoda UC, G. Sarath Sri Lal de Silva (UNP) said that the officials were not in a position to stop selling fish on the streets and public places owing to the fish vendors.

UC member, Janith Wickramathilaka (UNP) said during the previous PA administration of Ambalangoda UC, former Chairman had encouraged pavement hawkers and vegetable vendors to Ambalangoda town thus creating numerous problems. Due to political influence, certain political supporters were allowed to construct unauthoritised buildings in the UC areas he said. Once beautiful Ambalangoda town was given an ugly appearance and former Chairman of Ambalangoda UC should be held responsible for making the town ugly he said.

UC Member, Janith Wickramathilaka (UNP) said that numerous complaints on the misappropriation of UC funds during the previous administration had already been made. The prestige of Ambalangoda UC had been tarnished by the financial racketeers and legal action should be taken against them, he said. UC Chairman, G.M.S. De Silva said complaints against them had already been made but Ambalangoda Police had been continuing to be silent he said

News | Business | Features | Editorial | Security
Politics | World | Letters | Sports | Obituaries |

Produced by Lake House
Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
Comments and suggestions to :Web Manager