Road side hawker culture in the Khwairamband Bazaar

Dr N Irabanta Singh *

Ningol Chakkouba Shopping at Ema Keithel, Imphal on October 29 2016 :: Pix - Shankar Khangembam

Introduction :

The roadside hawker is a person who travels from place to place for selling goods. The term is strongly synonymous with peddler or Costermonge, costor or costard which is a street seller of fruits and vegetables.

The term is now used to describe as hawkers in general, sometimes a distinction is made between the two:-
(i) a costormonger sells from a handcart or animal cart
(ii) a hawker carries his wares in basket or plastic gunny bags (Wikipedia).

The number of these hawkers are increasing tremendously in the Khwairamband Bazaar (Imphal City) during the last one decade or so.

In this article the writer wish to draw attention of the citizen of Imphal suburbs that how these commercial activities pollutes Khwairamband Bazaar and also draws the attention of the Manipur Housing and Urban Development (MAHUD) and Town Planning Ministry and also Imphal Municipal Corporation authority for early correction of the situation on a permanent basis to become Imphal as one of the Smart City of India.

Classification of roadside hawkers :

The roadside hawkers in the Khwairamband Bazaar (Imphal City) can be classified as under:- (1) Cart sellers (Popcorn, Badam, Panipuri, Bombay Mithai) – All sellers are non-local; ice cream( both local and non- local);
(2) Fruit sellers (both local and non-local);
(3) Fishes (Dry, Fresh and Fermented)- All sellers are local;
(4) Vegetables – Local Imas;
(5) G.I. sheet trunk sellers ( wrist watches, eye glasses); Electronic items( non-locals);
(6) Plastic items including lock and keys. All are non-locals;
(7) Clothes (Oldstock, garments, sellers are both local and non-local;
(8) Torned note exchangers. Local both sexes;
(9) Cobbler-Both local and non-local are involved in it;
(10) Shoes seller (locals as well as non local);
(11) Cut flowers and potted flowers – Local Imas as well as manfolk;
(12) Lukmai Phumbi – Local Imas;
(13) Tea stall sellers-Non local and
(14) CD cassette-Local as well as non localsitters etc.

Discussion :

In the Khwairamband Bazaar various types of business establishment are being carried out along Paona Bazaar, Thangal Bazaar, B.T. Road. The three Ima Keithels are historic and the only keithel (market) named by the Imas (women). These keithels are connected with World War II.

Now, the markets are under the supervision of Imphal Municipal Corporation. Unlike one decade ago, today the Ima keithels as well as adjoining keithels have been spread over the road sides by the hawkers which made Khwairamband Bazaar ugly look or unorganized bazaar.

This may be due to improve transport facility where these Imas from other valley districts viz. Thoubal, Imphal East, Imphal West, Bishnupur, etc came to Khwairamband Bazaar and does a variety of business including selling of their own agricultural produce regularly even in summer, rainy season and winter in the unhygienic places which really threatening to their health.

Surprisingly, the non-local hawkers are also found selling plastic items, watches, eye glasses, etc. These non-locals are also found mixing with the Imas Keithel (Women market). It is the fault of the Imphal Municipal Corporation. The corporators of the bazaar areas recommend these business in the Khwairamband Bazaar.

Moreover, the organic and non-organic wastes of the bazaar are not cleaned up daily by the Municipal Corporation authority. Every citizen of the valley districts are witnessing these scene every day. The concern authority of the new government is requested to do some permanent solution for these Imas including the road side hawkers.

The recent discriminating of the road side hawkers by the Imphal Municipal authority rose hues and cry from the Imas resulting back square. Moreover, recent announcement by the minister of MAHUD and Town planning, Manipur that Khwairamband Keithel will be beautified (The Sangai Express, March 29, 2017 issue).

It will be a welcome issue but a permanent solution is envisaged from the new government. Further, giving permission to non local hawkers need to be stopped by the concern authority. This greatly affects the socio-economic status of the local populance.

Conclusion and recommendation :

The road side hawker culture in Khwairamband Bazaar (Imphal City) need a serious look by the concern Ministry of the new Government of Manipur so that the prospective hope for becoming Imphal as smart city will not go in vein.

It is also recommended that an expert committee be set up by the Government consisting of the Chief town Planner, Manipur; representative from MAHUD; leading Economist and Social Anthropologists; Environmentalist of the state for their recommendation to the Government of Manipur for long term planning and development of Imphal City so that it becomes a leading smart city of India during our lifetime.