The Hindu : New Delhi News : Street vendors to protest on Monday

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Apr 04, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Street vendors to protest on Monday

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, APRIL 3. Demanding immediate implementation of the National Policy on Urban Street Vendors, hawkers from all over the country will demonstrate here in the Capital on Monday. "Street vendors from different cities and towns will assemble at Jantar Mantar and demonstrate urging the Government to fulfil all their demands. A memorandum will later be submitted to the President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, urging him to immediately intervene in the matter," said Soudan Singh, president of National Alliance of Street Vendors (NASVI), here today.

Addressing newspersons, Mr. Singh said their main demands include change in laws of civic bodies and police. "We are also demanding that policies for vendors should also be incorporated in the city development plans and demarcate areas for street vending. The Government should also ensure social and financial security of street vendors and also form special committees for the welfare of vendors where active participation from our community is ensured," he added.

The NASVI president also informed that in cities like Delhi, civic body personnel, like those belonging to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) in the Capital, confiscate items of street vendors and release them only after a week. "We demand that confiscated items should be released within a couple of days and the fine imposed on street vendors should not be more than Rs.50. Street vendors provide eatables and other small items to poor people at cheap rates. They are important part of any city's economy so they should be supported by the Government."

Mr. Singh informed that the national policy had several positive points that include providing and promoting a supportive environment for earning livelihood to street vendors; there should be no arbitrary eviction of street vendors in the name of beautification; providing training to upgrade their technical and business skills; and incorporation of street vending in the informal sector. If all these plans were implemented, street vendors, who choose this job option due to shrinking employment opportunities in society, would also lead a dignified and contended life.

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