GUNTUR: After hoarding spurious chilli powder till recently, the Guntur Mirchi Yard is back in another controversy over issuing trade licences to ineligible traders. As against 685 licensed traders at the yard, around 85 licences are said to have been issued to ineligible traders and the marketing officials are gearing up to cancel 26 licences with immediate effect.
Soon after the Guntur Market Yard committee was appointed by the government, a probe was ordered into the complaints about traders obtaining dual licences to increase their business turnover illegally. Following an investigation into the allegations, it was found that 685 trade licences were issued in 2014.
Though they have to renew their licences, as many as 293 traders are reportedly doing business without renewing them. As per norms, only one licence should be issued to a trading firm. But some traders obtained multiple licences in the name of family members or business partners illegally.
As per the guidelines of the yard, there is no provision to take separate licences by partners of a firm. The operation of another firm on the same premises should not be allowaed.Based on the request from the governing body of the mirchi yard, the marketing officials investigated the matter and found that some traders were using benami licences to conduct more trade.
Guntur Mirchi Traders Association president K Sambi Reddy found no fault in issuing more licences for members of a same family as there are no restrictions on the government providing jobs to both husband and wife.
However, Mirchi Yard Chairman Mannava Subba Rao said after assuming office on October 9, 2016, he came to know that some traders had taken licences in different names from the same family. “The marketing officials have conducted an inquiry into the issuance of licences and submitted a report to the governing body, which in turn urged them to initiate action against the ineligible traders.
Speaking to TNIE, Marketing Commissioner P Mallikharjuna Rao said 26 licensees have not followed the guidelines in obtaining the trade licences. Hence, steps are being initiated for cancellation of their licences. “The committee will verify the remaining 59 licences at the earliest, based on which further action will be taken,” he added.