SHILLONG: Urban Affairs Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh on Monday introduced the Meghalaya Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Bill, 2014 on the second day of the Winter Assembly Session.
Some of the major highlight of the Bill are the constitution of the Town Vending Committee with the Additional Deputy Commissioner or Municipal Board Chief Executive Officer (CEO) as the chairman.
As per the Bill, the Government may nominate members to the committee representing Government departments, local authority, planning authority, traffic police, local police, and association of street vendors, market association, trader association, local durbars, nationalized banks and such other interest as it deems proper. “The number of members to represent the street vendors shall not be less than two out of which at least one third of such members shall be from amongst women vendors,” the Bill stated.
The Bill mentioned that every person who has completed the age of 18 years and intends to do registration for street vending shall make an application for registration as street vendor to the town vending committee.
“However, the committee shall not summarily reject the application without giving the applicant an opportunity to rectify deficiencies,” the Bill stated.
According to the Bill, the local authority may give preference to the registered street vendors in allotment of stalls in the vending zones.
“The allotment of stalls to the street vendors shall be made in such manner and subject to such terms and conditions. A registered street vendor to whom the stall has been allotted in a vending zone shall be granted a license and renewed from time to time by the local authority in such a manner on payment of such fee and subject to such terms and conditions as may specified,” the Bill stated.
As per the Bill, the local authority may cancel the allotment of the staff or license if it is satisfied that such allotment of stalls has been secured by the street vendor through misrepresentation or fraud.
“The local authority can also initiate similar action if any street vendor to whom the stall has been allotted or a license has been granted under this Act or any agent or servant of such vendor commits a breach of any kind of conditions specified for the purpose of regulating the street vending under this Act,” the Bill stated.
Moreover, it is also mentioned in the Bill that the street vendors are liable for penalties if he indulges in street vending without registration, vends beyond the designated vending zones or specified timing , vends goods or offer services that are detrimental to public health among others.