Mysore/Mysuru: The Mysore Textile and Readymade Garments Merchants Association has urged the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) to withdraw the order imposing 30 percent penalty for late renewal of licence.

In a letter written to the MCC Commissioner, a copy of which has been sent to the Chief Minister, the Association, having office at Shivayana Mutt road, D. Devaraj Urs Road Cross, said that the outbreak of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic in March last year has badly hit the textile sector, just like any other sector. 

Pointing out that textile, readymade garments and other such shops were closed for months following the nationwide lockdown, it said that many shops were forced to shut down either due to huge losses or for want of business in post-lockdown period. It is but natural that under such trying circumstances, most of the textile merchants could not renew their trade licence. 

The MCC should have acted on the repeated pleas of merchants and come to their rescue by waiving off at least a part of the trade licence fee for the year 2020-21. But the MCC has done otherwise, by issuing an order asking the merchants to renew trade licence along with a late penalty of 30 percent, latest by Feb.26, which is nothing but unfortunate, the Association said and warned of staging an intensive protest if MCC failed to withdraw its order.