Shillong, Aug 4: Street hawkers and vendors, who were relocated from roadsides at Khyndailad to a dedicated vending zone at MUDA parking lot there, have expressed resentment over their relocation and demanded further deliberation on the matter.
The authorities concerned should discuss the “unlawful relocation” of hawkers in the meeting of Provisional Town Vending Committee (PTVC) scheduled for August 6, said Meghalaya & Greater Shillong Progressive Hawkers and Street Vendors Association (MGSPHSVA) in a statement.
The PTVC meeting was convened following a protest staged by the hawkers on August 1.
Demanding “re-spacing” of Khyndailad area, the association also sought re-designing and restructuring of the MUDA vending site in a “participatory manner”.
According to the association, the authorities should take into account the needs of different trades while designing the space for hawkers.
It also demanded for issuance of Certificate of Vending (CoVs) to all surveyed and eligible hawkers and a rapid re-survey to include those left out.
A grievance redressal forum, putting the vendor-related data in public domain and disclosure of expenditures and contracts related to the MUDA site are among demands raised by the association.
In the statement, the association’s general secretary Shane Thabah alleged that the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) carried out the hawkers’ relocation without consulting the hawkers or the PTVC, violating the Street Vendors Act of 2014 and a High Court order.
The association also highlighted several concerns, including failure to publish a final, verified list of licensed vendors, unlawful evictions with short notice, unsafe and unready vending space at MUDA parking lot, lack of standard operating procedures (SOPs) and participatory process and marginalisation of genuine vendors.
“MGSPHSVA categorically rejects the process in its current form and demands immediate, corrective, and participatory action. Our repeated efforts to cooperate with authorities and contribute meaningfully to planning have been ignored,” Thabah said.
“The result is displacement, disorder, and deep distress among hundreds of vendors who have earned their livelihoods with honesty and resilience,” he added.
