Mahe: The Mahe Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samiti (VVES) staged a protest with a buffalo to express their dissatisfaction over the authorities' failure to take action despite repeated representations of their demands and grievances.

K K Anilkumar, Chairman of the Coordination Committee, who inaugurated the protest, stated that the absence of a permanent commissioner for the municipality is a hardship, and that the authorities' stance of ignoring traders' demands is deplorable.

Leaders alleged that it has been 3 months since waste was collected from commercial establishments and homes. They accused the Mahe administration of merely filling its coffers by collecting a year's license fee in advance and levying huge user fees from traders, without providing any services.

President Shaji Pinakkatt presided. General Secretary Shaju Kanathil, Treasurer Ahmed Sameer, K K Sreejith, Anoop Kumar, A V Yousuf, P P Rahees, K Bharathan, Dinesh Poovachery, Samad Fashion Light, Safeer Skylight and others led the protest.