Benami business will not be allowed: Paul
SHILLONG: Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) Executive Member (EM) Paul Lyngdoh said the non-tribal hawkers should approach the council and the KHADC is expecting the hawkers to submit the applications to the District Council.
Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, Lyngdoh said “The public notice is the first stage which is complete and the next stage is that the vendors should honour the notification and apply the vending licenses in accordance with law. The final decision rests with the Council to consider one after the other applications”.
He added that action will be taken against violators as per the United Khasi Jaintia Hills District (Trading by non-tribals) Regulation, 1954.
He informed that the discretion to issue or not issue a vending license is up to the Trade department and
applications of the hawkers will not be considered if hawking is being carried out in illegal, unhygienic or cause inconvenience to the general public.
He said that non-tribal vendors have occupied areas without trading license leaving space constraint for the pedestrians such as in footpaths, street corners and other places throwing concerns on public safety and health risks.
Lyngdoh said, “After studying the United Khasi Jaintia Hills District (Trading by non-tribals) Regulation, 1954, we found that vendors should get license from the Trade department.
All these years, it was not implemented and they ran their business without following the law”.
Stating that the law is impartial and should apply to both shopkeepers and vendors, he said that the KHADC issued a public notice to inform that there is a law that regulates non-tribal vendors and should not be oblivious of such a law.
Lyngdoh also expressed gladness that the High Court has rejected the petition of tribals who approached the Court against the KHADC public notice to non tribal hawkers.
Issuing warning of tribals who indulge in Benami, he said the KHADC will ensure that the hawkers’ plan B is thwarted, he said, “We will ensure that once the vendors are removed there will be no other persons who will be in their place. We will prepare legal apparatus, if they bring Khasis in their place. The legal provisions are there and will ensure that the tribals will also be booked under the law.”
As for the tribal vendors, Lyngdoh said that the state government is the authority to look into the tribal hawkers while the KHADC will work as per the legislative competence of the council.