Local traders oppose setting up Big Bazaar

Statesman News Service

MALDA, July 30: The Malda Merchants’ Chamber of Commerce has protested against setting up Big Bazaar in English Bazaar town. The MMCC has submitted a memorandum to the English Bazaar Municipality requesting them not to allow permission for Big Bazaar here. The copy of the letter also sent to the district magistrate and concerned officials. The MMCC is also planning to send another protest letter to stop such a venture of a reputed business group who is trying to set up a Big Bazaar in the heart of the English Bazaar town. The MMCC district secretary, Mr. Jayanta Kundu said: “We have got information that Reliance Group is planning to set up Big Bazaar at NBSTC (north Bengal state transport corporation) in this town. The business group has already started dialogue with the authorities of NBSTC in Cooch Behar”. According to Mr Kundu, the Reliance Group may build multistoried building for Big Bazaar in the existing place of the NBSTC depot at its own cost providing space for NBSTC depot in the ground floor according to their proposed contract. Neither the EBM nor the NBSTC officials have authenticated the information about setting up of a Big Bazaar here. In the protest letter of MMCC, the secretary of the traders’ body claimed that local retail traders in this town will face problem in their business. “It is very difficult for small retail traders in various markets to cope with the competition and price of various items fixed by the Big Bazaar”, said Mr. Jayanta Kundu, district secretary, MMCC. “We can allow Big Bazaar concept here if local entrepreneur wants to set up Big Bazaar because we will be able to control that businessman over price fixation. But we do not have control over corporate houses. We must protest if a corporate house like Reliance group sets up Big Bazaar here”, he said.