Hawkers stage protest against KHADC order

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaNovember 4, 2019

SHILLONG: Hawkers and street vendors under the umbrella of the Meghalaya and Greater Shillong Progressive Hawkers and Street Vendors Association today staged a protest against the recent order of the KHADC for registration. 

According to them, the KHADC’s overreach with regard to hawking and street vending has caused confusion and hardship to genuine hawkers. 

The hawkers pointed out that the KHADC is in breach of not only the law but the status quo court order of 2016 and reiterated  their demand that the central steet vending act 2014 be implemented so that there can be a proper in situ survey, constitution of a Town vending committee (TVC) comprising of not less that 40% members being from the street vendors and following the constitution of the tvc, which will be the lawful authority overseeing hawking related matters, other things such as licensing, demarcating of vending and non vending zones etc can be carried out.

Submitting a memorandum to the KHADC, the hawkers has also rejected the form that the KHADC is distributing for registering of hawkers and have also pointed out that the KHADC has no system but is randomly giving out forms and have in the past few days brought new people to occupy spaces leading to utter confusion and lawlessness. 

The association questioned the intention of the KHADC as it is clear from their action that they are not interested in solving the hawking and congestion issue but rather to simply cause more confusion and also communalise matters. The association  stresses on the need to implement the central act and following that only can trading license regulations and other regulations follow, but these need to be  in a transparent,  accountable , fair and time bound manner.