SHILLONG: The government’s failure to spare a thought for the hundreds of street hawkers who have been reduced to penury since the March lockdown, echoed in the corridors of power on Thursday as delegations made a strong plea for lifting the virtual ban on hawking in the streets.
A delegation of Meghalaya & Greater Shillong Progressive Hawkers and Street Vendors Association, Workers’ Power and Thma U Rangli Juki met Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong to make strong case for permitting the hawking at Iewduh on a rotation basis.
TUR member Angela Rangad later told reporters that as shops are re-opening in Iewduh, some hawkers should also be allowed to operate on some days, adding that like the numbering of shops, hawkers can also be classified to earn a living.
Stating that informal workers are the worst hit the by the lockdown, she added that informal workers would help revive the local economy.
Earlier, the groups expressed unhappiness that the issue of the hawkers and street vendors of Meghalaya had not been addressed by the government so far. While Khyndailad and Iewduh were allowed to reopen conditionally, the administration has remained silent on hawkers.
“The problem with hawking and street vending in Meghalaya has been the non-implementation of the Central Street Vending Act which would have ensured that we would have got licenses and vending spaces,” the groups said.
The groups also said that as per their surveys, although the government had announced cash support to the workers of unorganised sector, many of them had not received any support.
The groups want the government to immediately notify the Central Act on Street vending and ensure that they are given license and vending spaces.
