PURI: The government must suitably compensate and resettle traders of Puri town for losses incurred by them due to pandemic and execution of development projects, said Khandapada MLA Soumya Ranjan Patnaik here on Saturday.
Addressing an interactive session organised by the Puri Chamber of Commerce (PCC), he said that the town’s traders depend on devotees visiting Sri Jagannath Temple to earn their livelihood and the government must compensate them during the execution of projects. These are challenging times for local traders, both small and medium who are also suffering due to the onslaught of multinational companies dealing in consumer goods.
President of Puri Chamber of Commerce Bijay Kumar Pati said the session was organised as a mark of appreciation for media persons who highlighted the plight of local businessmen during lockdown, calamities and those displaced during the execution of projects implemented by the government. On the occasion, the PCC paid Rs 50,000 to Mamata Patra, widow of photo journalist Loknath Patra. Patnaik also pitched in with another Rs 50,000 for Mamata.