Traders not to have festive lighting in markets on Diwali

New Delhi, Oct 17 (UNI) It will be a "dark Diwali" for traders this year! Tormented as well as agitated over the 'Democles sword' of sealing hanging over their shops despite the Centre and the Delhi government coming out with a series of notifications to provide relief to them, the traders in Delhi have decided not to have any kind of festive lighting in the respective markets.

''Nearly all commercial markets of Delhi have decided not to have any kind of festivve lighting. Also, the traders will not exchange sweets and gifts this year on Diwali,'' Secretary General of the Confederation of All India Traders Praveen Khandelwal said.

''The non-celebration of Diwali during the ongoing anti-sealing campaign of the traders amply reflects the amount of anger and resentment among the trading community of Delhi,'' Mr Khandelwal said.

Meanwhile, the traders, in an hour-long meeting with Union Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy demanded that the Union Government bring a constitutional amendment for regularisation of business establishments without any further loss of time in order to protect traders and people of Delhi from sealing.

Reminding Mr. Reddy of his firm statement made on the floor of Parliament in its last session for bringing constitutional amendment, the traders' delegation said the Union government should act immediately.

The traders said that as per an estimate, an investment of nearly 10000 crore of rupees was involved in the business of those who are likely to be affected by sealing.

''If such a large number of traders are displaced, the Delhi government will have to suffer a VAT loss of about 3500 crore of rupees annually. This when the current target of VAT collection is about 6000 crore of rupees apart from loss of revenue to Union Government by way of several other direct and indirect taxes.

''Several lakhs of people will become unemployed,'' he said.

The trade leaders said that not only the traders but other sections related to trade like transport, local transport, Cart men and labourers of poor strata and even the small workmen would be affected badly and Delhi was likely to face an economic crisis. The traders demanded the Government to bring in a permanent solution immediately so that an atmosphere of utter confusion, chaos and uncertainty should come to an end in Delhi.

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