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It was the year
1999 when Shopkeepers Welfare Association was born. It
was Shri Yogesh Katira, who took the initiative. He took
the idea to several shopkeepers and convinced them as to how it
was important as well as necessary to fight certain issues jointly.
Many issues or complaints if rooted through the platform of
Association can bring success. In the suburb like
MULUND there are approximately 3000 shopkeepers.
Association if formed will surely meet with over whelming
response. Ten such shopkeepers came forward and agreed with
idea.
First Committee of Association was thus formed.
Shri Yogesh Katira became a President, Shri Shekhar
Rao-Secretary, Shri Mahendra Hingoo-Treasurer, Shri Suresh
Bhanushali – Jt. Secretary, Shri Bipin Bhinde-Jt. Treasurer, Shri
Bipin Monani - Vice President and Shri Bhoja Patel-Member. The
Association got itself registered with Charity Commissioner Office
at Worli. Slowly shopkeepers one by one started joining the
Association.
The big success came when Association
succeeded in solving the problems of Communication Centres of
Mulund. Those days Mulund had around 150 Communication
Centres into the business providing STD/FAX/PCO services and
similar number of Communication Centres in Bhandup. Corruption
was rampant in MTNL as it was the sole provider of
Communication services. To get new PCO/STD connections
means to grease the palms of officials. Raids from MTNL were
frequent which normally ended up with bribing the officers. Even
to get the cable faults repaired ended with bribing.
On the top of it a single cheque bouncing
resulted in line disconnection and to reconnect the same was
possible only if hefty Bank Guarantees were provided. Paying up
of bills after due date also carried huge fines.
In short it was impossible to run Communication
business unless MTNL officers were kept happy by giving them
good gifts in Diwali and or huge tips if any services were required.
Shri Yogesh Katira, who became a scape goat
once with such policy adopted by MTNL officers made it a point
of not bribing them but to call press conference. The first such
press conference was called at Mumbai Marathi Patrakar Sangh
situated at CST. Many press persons as well as Communication
Centre operators attended the conference. Leaflets were
distributed to all the media persons mentioning the atrocities being
suffered by Communication Centres at the hands of MTNL.
Fortunately this got a wide media coverage. Even
TV Channels carried the story. With the result MTNL officers
thought of going smooth with Communication Centres and they
started getting smoother. Complaints were promptly attended.
New connections were given faster which was huge relief for the
Communication Centres of Mulund as well as Bhandup who joined
the Association later.
It is then that Shopkeepers started coming
forward by joining the hands with Association. Problems of
different kinds kept coming and it was due to the able leadership
of Shri Yogesh Katira and a proper paper work that helped solving
number of problems of Shopkeepers.
Shri Yogesh Katira made it a point to educate
shopkeepers on different subjects relating to business and
Government policies. With this thing in mind he started convening
meeting inviting dignitaries from different fields.
Sometimes Corporators were invited to make
them know the problems that shopkeepers had related to the BMC
and sometimes eminent advocates. Once in a year the meeting is
held of Police and Shopkeepers. Workshop was also held once to
make know the Shopkeepers of Mulund as to how to successfully
use ‘Right to Information’.
And the saga of success continued.
Few note worthy successes of Shopkeepers
Welfare Association :
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