Govt policies sidelining the poor, say street vendors` bodies

IMPHAL, Jan 22 : The street vendors of Khwairamband Keithel have submitted a memorandum to the chief minister in which they have asked for the prompt redressal of the grievances of the street vendors of the state.

Stating that the street vendors of the state were facing many problems in all fields, they said that there was no peace and no security of life in the state. The street vendors in the state numbering around 1500 were mostly educated unemployed youths and widows who were forced to eke out a living for themselves due to their economic circumstances, it said.

Recently, the non-licensed street vendors were evicted unceremoniously from their makeshift stalls in Imphal because of a move by the Imphal Municipal Council. During the action by the authorities 20 members were arrested and sent to jail by the police personnel, it further said.

The vendors have in the memorandum put forward some demands for sympathetic consideration by the authorities. These include end to all harassment by the authorities, a legitimate hawking zone, a state policy on street vendors, a town vending committee, identity cards or licences for all vendors, involvement of the vendors in the market development programme, social security for the vendors in the unorganised sector, and receipts for the confiscated goods.

Meanwhile, the National Association of Street Vendors of India, NASVI, having its office at Patna has also submitted a memorandum to the Manipur chief minister on the matter of eviction of the street vendors from Imphal`s Khwairamband area.

Mentioning that development infrastructures like big buildings, roads and flyovers must be measured in terms of their utility and inclusiveness of the common and poor people, the memorandum said that in recent times there was displacement, loss of employment and source of livelihood being caused by the ill-considered beautification of markets which were disregarding the plight of the poor.

The NDA government at the Centre had adopted a National Policy for Street Vendors in 2004 and the policy was endorsed by the UPA government in 2005, but there had been no implementation of the policy in practice, the memorandum rued.

Today, incidentally, was the National Vendors Day and the day was observed at the residence of Yambem Ebeni at Uripok Tourangbam Leikai. The celebration was jointly organised by the Friendship Centre Manipur, Manipur Keithel Nupi Marup and Roadside Street Vendors Association.

Around 200 people attended the celebration with the programme being presided by Kh Kunder, Friendship Centre Manipur, while L Memma, advisor of the Roadside Street Vendors Association and Y Ebeni, president of the Manipur Keithel Nupi Marup were chief guest and guest of honour respectively.