Hawkers & vendors’ body celebrates foundation day

SHILLONG, June 23: The hawking and street vending community was in high spirits as they celebrated the sixth foundation day of the Meghalaya & Greater Shillong Progressive Hawkers and Street Vendors’ Association at a programme in Anton Hall, Laitumkhrah, on Wednesday and Thursday.
One of the highlights of the celebration was the acclamation of the repeal of the state law on hawking and the enactment of the central statutes in its place.
In this regard, the association has expressed gratitude to their lawyer Kaustabh Pal, who, according to them, helped the association mount the legal challenge on behalf of the entire community of hawkers and street vendors.
More than a thousand street vendors and hawkers including their family members came together for a daylong programme to celebrate the occasion.
A cultural competition called ‘Hawkers Have Talent’ was also showcased during the programme.
Singing, dancing, modeling and fashion show were some of the highlights of the cultural events that were conducted during the day. Some hawkers also sang their original self-written songs and self-composed poems.
Besides these, office-bearers of the association were provided training in social analysis and organisation building, which was facilitated by a well-known public health activist and founder of The Action North Trust, Dr Sunil Kaul.
Wanpynhun Kharsyntiew of the Meghalaya Domestic Workers Movement talked about the power of working class section in Meghalaya, while exhorting the hawkers and street vendors to strengthen their solidarity with other citizens.