GUWAHATI: Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) has urged the state government to regulate the activities of hawkers and ensure that their rights to earn a living are not compromised during these times of hardship.
In a statement issued on Sunday, KHNAM youth wing president, Thomas Passah, accused the government of overlooking/violating various sections of the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, which was enacted to regulate street vendors in public areas and protect their rights.
“We have seen in the past that footpaths and market areas (in Shillong) have been overcrowded by hawkers. But we cannot blame the hawkers, rather, it is the failure of the government(s),” Passah said.
The KHNAM leader further alleged that till date, “the government and various labour ministers have failed to regulate hawking in the state vis-à-vis ensuring that the rights of hawkers are also protected. Section 3 of the Act has clearly notified that the town vending committee is to carry out a survey of all existing street vendors and under Section 4 of the Act, the vendors are to be issued with vending certificates.”
“But the state government has failed to act in accordance with the provisions of the Act for far too long, leading to hardships of not only the hawkers but the general public at large,” Passah said.
Passah also held the district council responsible for failing to address the issues of the hawkers.
“The district council needs to ensure that only indigenous tribal hawkers are given first priority, since the law states that. Most of the hawkers are poor indigenous tribal people, some of whom have migrated from rural areas for livelihood,” he said.
