Housing ministry has ordered the dry and smoked fish vendors at Male’ Local Market to empty the stalls.

Vendors said they received the notice on Thursday.

In the notice, the ministry said their agreement with the vendors has reached its deadline, and has ordered them to empty the stalls before December 11, after which authorities will confiscate any products they find.

The ministry will not take responsibility for damages to the products after confiscation, they said, adding that they will dispose of the items if the owners do not recover them within 12 hours.

A smoked fish vendor has said that this will cause tremendous damage to vendors, who have carried out their business for 30 years.

Some venders have expressed their concern that the ministry did not renew their agreements.