Mail News Service
Jamshedpur, October 19: Jamshedpur East MLA Saryu Roy has raised concerns over the alleged arbitrary allotment of tin shed shops being constructed near the Tata Workers Union School boundary wall in Kadma and other areas. In a letter addressed to the Deputy Commissioner of East Singhbhum, Roy emphasized the need for a transparent process in shop allocation.
During a visit to the area, Roy was approached by several shopkeepers, including a disabled vendor, who complained about being denied allotment. They alleged that the family of the Health Minister, along with Congress workers close to him, were arbitrarily distributing the shops. Some even claimed they were asked to pay additional fees for the allotment. Roy demanded that such practices be stopped immediately.
The MLA pointed out that the boundary wall of the Tata Workers Union School had been pushed back to accommodate the construction of a large number of tin shed shops, each measuring eight by six feet. It is believed that these shops were intended for vendors displaced because of the road widening process. However, Roy expressed doubts about the funding source for the project, stating that neither Tata Steel’s land department nor JNAC’s Deputy Municipal Commissioner had any knowledge of it. He suspected that funds from either the District Plan or MLA Fund may be involved but questioned the legality of the process.
Roy further noted that the shop sizes were too small for proper business operations and suggested merging two adjacent shops to offer more space. He also raised concerns about the excessive number of shops being built, which far exceeded the number of displaced vendors.
In light of the forthcoming Jharkhand Assembly elections and the Model Code of Conduct, Roy urged the Deputy Commissioner to maintain the status quo and ensure that any allotment process was transparent and in accordance with the law after the elections.
