Editor,
In response to Angela Rangad’s article, “Hawkers-Myths and realities”, I sincerely appreciate the passion and humane heart of the writer towards the cause that she is fighting for. In fact, I wish to state here that likewise, I genuinely feel for my fellow human beings irrespective of their gender, colour, faith and community. Time and again I have expressed my disquietude about the encroachment by hawkers on footpaths and every open space. This discomfort arises when pedestrians can no longer use the footpaths freely. This discomfort arises when we are met with shouts and foul languages if we step on their wares by mistake. Do pedestrians have a choice but to make these mistakes when they have no place to walk by on the footpaths? Do they have a choice but to simply squeeze their way through or step on th road and get banged by vehicles or simply tip-toe on sidewalks and pavements? For example, the footpath between the entry and exit gate at the Shillong Civil Hospital had a line of hawkers selling food stuff making it impossible for pedestrians to use the footpaths. Another glaring example is the Motphran point. The hawkers spread their wares right in the middle of the road obstructing the movement of vehicles as well as people. Luckily there had not been any grave accidents but this scenario does pose a lot of inconveniences and threats.
Just because they are hawkers, does it mean that every space be it footpaths, pavements, roadsides, nook and corners can be used by them? If so then what would pedestrians do? Even pedestrians have as much right on the footpaths as the vehicles have on the roads. I wonder if these other things don’t matter.
Agreed that it is very difficult and expensive to rent shops but this does not mean that they can simply open shop anywhere putting fellow beings to grave inconvenience. Agreed that it is the hawkers that “support our very own local small scale industries” but again I wonder why this promotion of local small scale industries could not be done in a better platform with the help from the government, NGOs, etc?
Granted that our town is flooded with too many vehicles, as vehicles are a necessity now, but again just as vehicles are not allowed to park anywhere as per rules and laws, similarly hawkers too must be provided a space of their own and cannot be allowed to choose any spot they deem fit. It is about time that the state government takes this matter seriously and take immediate steps to provide the hawkers a space where they can trade freely without any fear of eviction as well as without causing any kind of inconveniences to others. It is imperative that Government examine the space to be allocated to hawkers and choose that wisely so that it serves the purpose and balances the cause of one and all. Having said that the town has too many vehicles, I wonder if converting parking spaces already in existence into hawkers’ zone would be a wise decision. In fact the need of the hour is to have many more parking spaces especially in and around commercial areas.
In conclusion, I reiterate that the hawkers are not an eyesore but we would all agree that they are certainly causing inconvenience to all when they open shop just about anywhere making movements cumbersome for people as well as causing hassles for the vehicles to ply smoothly. The ball is in the government’s court to speed up the matter as per existing laws so that these hawkers are not deprived of their livelihoods. Will the government adopt a lackadaisical attitude or will it take a proactive role and deal with this serious matter with alacrity?
Yours etc.,
Jenniefer Dkhar,
Via email
Demonetisation cannot stem corruption
Editor,
The media is full of reports about serpentine queues outside banks. Demonetisation of Rs.500 and Rs.1,000 notes has some benefits, but it cannot stem the flow of unaccounted income to be generated in the future. Demonetisation has very little impact on the processes of bureaucratic and political corruption. The markets for gold and property are highly concentrated, with relatively few sellers exerting considerable control over supply. Nonetheless, demonetisation of the two currency as part of its efforts will help to tackle the triple menace of black money, fake currency and terror financing. Corruption of personnel in the bureaucracy and that of politicians has touched new heights.
Curbing black money, circulation of fake currency, terrorism, among other things, were the immediate reason for the Union government to take a decision to demonetise currency. The principal sources of black economy generation in activities like political funding and election expenses, real estate transactions, construction, tax evasion and bureaucratic corruption will continue. Black money and corruption are the biggest obstacles in eradicating poverty. When the quantum of black money was so enormous that it had created a parallel economy, making monetary policy ineffective, government’s effort is commendable.
Yours etc.,
Vinod C. Dixit
Ahmedabad – 15