Guwahati: Kamrup Metro District administration on Thursday made it compulsory to have a trade license for selling meat in Guwahati. The decision was taken by Biswajit Pegu DC, Kamrup Metro District Administration. An order was circulated by the district administration in the city.
With the opening of normal markets/shops/business establishments as per guidelines of lockdown 4.0 in Kamrup Metropolitan District, all temporary permissions issued to individuals during the lock-down period to deal with varieties of essential, non essential items were withdrawn with effect from the evening of June 9, 2020.
Further, any person found involved in selling poultry, mutton, fish, vegetables and fruits etc. without a valid trade licence at any place including using mobile van will be treated as illegal and action will be initiated against such persons as per provisions of the law of the nation.
Earlier, during the lock-down phase the state government had allowed multiple vendors to provide essential and non-essential food items via mobile vans in order to serve the citizens of Guwahati.
Thousands of traders are operating in Guwahati without trade licenses. As a result, the Guwahati Municipal Corporation has lost a large amount of revenue. Vegetable traders in particular have been doing business in different places for years without trade licenses.
Since the implementation of this directive in the city, there has been a strong reaction from the business community who were working without a trade license.
The Guwahati Municipal Corporation has issued instructions to various departmental authorities, including the Revenue Circle officers to implement this directive.
The extent to which these guidelines will be applicable in the field of trade after the ban on conducting business in Guwahati without a trade license is yet to be seen.