GAIGHAT: Traders have closed down the market in protest after the Area Administration Office, Katari and Katari Municipality continued conducting strict market monitoring for few days.

During the market monitoring, the administrative officers seized inedible food items and closed some shops running without registration.

Chairman of Katari Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Pushkar Khadka, said the administration conducted market monitoring arbitrarily and harassed the traders.

However, the Office Chief Sunil Poudel said some shops were found to be operating without registration and some evading tax. They were asked to run the shops in a legal manner, but no harsh action was taken, he underscored.

A local Krishna Karki applauded the administration's action and said it would help to curb black marketing in the area.