SHILLONG: Amid uncertainty over resumption of normalcy in hawking, the state hawkers and street vendors have taken up national-level training on safe hawking in view of COVID-19.
In a statement issued here on Tuesday, the Meghalaya & Greater Shillong Progressive Hawkers & Street Vendors Association informed that it has joined the national-level online training of hawkers and hawkers’ associations from across the country.
Organised by the National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI), the programme aims to provide insights into safely reopening vending activities so that hawkers and their customers are protected from the dreaded coronavirus and their livelihoods are not affected.
Five representatives of the state were trained as trainers, who will in turn train the rest of the members of the association, and at the same time reach out to other stakeholders of the market including customers to ensure safety from coronavirus.
The association has been working with various stakeholders to ensure that the unlocking of economic activities is done keeping in mind public health concerns.
The association said that it has been regulating hawking and street vending by ensuring cardinal protocols such as social distancing, wearing of masks and sanitisation figure as part of the hawking behaviour.