A total of 39 vendors affected by the fire in Mao Market, Kohima have been allotted spaces at T Khel Sokhriezie Market. (Morung Photo)
Morung Express News
Kohima | March 15
Following the devastating fire that razed down the famous Mao Market in Kohima on the night of February 27, the source of livelihood for several vendors went up in flames. Most of the vendors were the sole breadwinners for their families.
In the aftermath of the fire, the government had been searching for a place to house the vendors, but it has not been easy given the congestion in the state capital. It was learned that a place arranged for the vendors to carry out their business activities, located at New Reserve, was turned down considering the feasibility and distance of the location.
Coming to the rescue of the vendors whose lives were severely affected, the T Khel Sokhriezie Market Committee has offered their parking space for the vendors to carry out their business activities.
T Khel Sokhriezie Market is located at PR Hill near Nagaland Police Headquarters, and the dedicatory prayer was held this morning by Baptist Mission Church Senior Pastor Rev. James C Neikhrienyü.
Speaking to The Morung Express, convenor of Sokhriezie Market Committee, Neikeduolie Suohu said the T Khel Council and Sokhriezie Market Committee had agreed to allot the space when the government approached them.
Considering the predicament of the vendors as they are all daily wage earners who have lost their sole source of income during the fire, the ground floor earmarked for parking space in the newly constructed building was allotted to the vendors, Suohu said.
The space, which was dedicated this morning, will now house 39 local vendors. The market committee has not only provided the space for the vendors to carry out their businesses but has also assembled tables for each vendor to display/keep their products.
Furthermore, Suoho said although the market committee had its own rules and regulations, it has decided to exempt the security deposit and also to charge the monthly rent commensurate with what they have been paying in their previous stalls and not the present stipulated market rent.
