Sikkim National People’s Party on Thursday has demanded the state government to immediately roll back the ban on vegetables from outside the state as the local production of vegetables is not sufficient to feed the local people and visiting tourists in the state.
SNPP president, Biraj Adhikari appeals the people of Sikkim not to cooperate with such an order which infringes the constitutional rights of the people in case the ban is not lifted.
Addressing a press conference in Gangtok Thursday, he also demanded for a thorough enquiry by an impartial and independent agency into the ‘Organic Mission’ based on the findings of the CAG as documented in their annual reports since the inception of the mission.
Adhikari said the SNPP has ideologically supported the organic mission of the state government but has opposed the populist approach the government has taken in the mission. He alleged the organic mission is more of propaganda aimed at getting awards and to inflate the ego of one individual than a reality which can be acted upon.
According to Adhikari, the recent ban on inorganic vegetables from the outside the state has caused immense hardship to the people throughout the state especially to traders who have been earning their livelihood by selling vegetables.
“The ban has also revealed that the government was totally unprepared and that the departments did not even have an assessment of the amount of the vegetables grown in the state,” he added.
He said this move has distressed housewives and tourism stakeholders and has possibilities to disrupt the peace in the state.