JOWAI: The West Jaintia Hills District Administration on Wednesday continued to conduct eviction drives against hawkers who are using footpaths as stalls.
As Wednesday is usually the largest market day in Iawmusiang, hundreds of hawkers arrived with their produces but were chased away by police and officials of the Jowai Municipal Board (JMB)
The decision of the District Administration is centered on ensuring safety to students and pedestrians who are unable to use the footpaths which are occupied by hawkers.
Back in 2017 a series of awareness programmes were held by the Jowai Traffic Police in schools and colleges to make students, hawkers and the general public aware that footpaths were not constructed for hawkers.
However, despite facing continuous evictions, the hawkers usually return to their businesses without fail.
Even though the hawkers are free to move to Iawshyiap and other private markets including Sein Raij Jowai market where space is available, many still prefer to sell their products on the footpaths.
Speaking to The Shillong Times, West Jaintia Hills Superintendent of Police informed that the eviction drives are being conducted by the Jowai Municipal Board with assistance given by the police.
He also informed that many unreported incidents have happened on the streets of Iawmusiang. He said that students and pedestrians were hit by vehicles as they were not walking on the footpaths.
Many prominent residents of Jowai have lauded the initiative taken up by the Municipal Board and the District Administration while at the same time condemned the JHADC for not completing the Iawmusiang project which lead to the increase in the number of hawkers in the market area.