Vendors are being evicted and harassed, claims forum
National Association of Street Vendors of India
on Thursday alleged that street vendors were being "systematically evicted" from various areas across the city. Since April 28, the vendors are facing harassment by the authorities concerned, it claimed at a press conference.The association further alleged that even vendors possessing valid vending certificates were being removed.
"This has been happening despite the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, which establishes the legal framework and protections for street vendors against unlawful evictions and harassment," said the association's national coordinator Arbind Singh."We were hopeful that with the newly elected govt, the situation would improve, but nothing happened," Singh added.According to the association, the street vending act clearly distinguishes street vendors into three categories: stationary, mobile and weekly. However, every street vendor is being treated like a mobile vendor, it alleged. The vendors fear that these ongoing drives would deprive them of getting their names included in the ongoing survey. "These two parallel actions—doing a survey on one hand and removing vendors on the other—are contradictory to each other and can't go together," stated the association.At the conference, Suman Lata, a 55-year-old woman street vendor from Rohini, claimed that she was evicted from the area and constantly being threatened by the local officials. Ajay Poddar, a cloth vendor from Civil Lines, further alleged that his goods were not returned despite several appeals.Suresh, a tea vendor from Shahdara who claimed to be vending since 2008 and holding a valid licence, was "forcefully evicted" last week. "My goods were confiscated and have not been returned yet," he alleged.An MCD official said that action was being taken against encroachments on roads and public places to avoid inconvenience to others. "There is no specific or targeted drive being carried out by the civic body," he asserted.There was no reaction from police in this connection.
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