By james art Kathmandu Metropolitan City has identified 47 locations for florists and flower sellers to sell flowers in Tihar.
The city department’s move is aimed at avoiding the inconvenience faced by flower vendors last year and reducing congestion on the pavements.
“This year we have identified 47 locations, most of them in malls, shops, parks and parties,” said Dharma Raj Bhandari, police inspector of the city office. “Farmers and traders can take their produce to these designated locations and do business at their convenience. Our staff will help them get to the designated areas if they can’t do it themselves.
Last year, many flower growers from neighboring areas of the Kathmandu Valley who brought flowers to the capital could not sell their products due to restrictions imposed by the city office in many places.
The farmers were then allowed to sell flowers at Bhrikutimandap, Tinkune park, Handigaun and Balaju Valley Cold Store in coordination with the Nepal Florist Association and Nepal Chamber of Commerce. However, farmers and traders threw heaps of flowers and garlands on footpaths and returned home suffering heavy losses.
The metropolis had deployed its officials, including the metropolitan police, to collect discarded flowers and garlands that were dumped at the Bancharedanda landfill.
Officials say malls, party palaces and parks will not charge farmers and traders for providing space to sell flowers and garlands. KMC officials discussed the matter with the owners of malls and party palaces and asked them to provide places for farmers to sell flowers and garlands in Tihar.
“Farmers and flower sellers can sell flowers from other private places, but we will not allow them to obstruct footpaths,” said Lakshmi Maharjan, KMC senior assistant sub-inspector. “This year we have pre-determined points of sale to avoid a repeat of last year’s situation.”
The metropolis also asked people to use flowers produced by Nepali farmers in Tihar and ban the sale, storage, distribution and use of plastic bouquets and flowers.
“We have already confiscated plastic bouquets and flowers from many places,” Maharjan said. “We will fine traders if they ignore our warnings.”
The metropolis has asked farmers and flower traders to call the hotline 1180 or 015901763 and 9851356509 for help.