Street vendors petition CM
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, January 02 2023:
The All Manipur Street Vendors Association has written to Chief Minister N Biren Singh to scrap Imphal Municipal Corporation's orders which imposed some restrictions on them vending at Khwairamband Keithel areas.
Appealing to the Chief Minister to declare the orders null and void, the association said, the IMC's October 16 and December 22 notice are in violation of the Street Vendors (Protection and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014 .
The representation submitted by the association noted that the October 16 notice issued by the IMC, in view of acute congestions, traffic bottlenecks, prohibited street vendors and other unauthorized persons from vending at public places, roads, streets, drains/nullahs and other open spaces in and around Khwairamband Keithel.
However, it allowed vending only at the Temporary Market in two shifts, in morning from 6 am to 12 pm and evening from 1 pm to 7 pm on first come first serve basis.
Asserting that the notice is 'illegal', the association appealed to the Chief Minister to stay the order and direct the IMC to issue a fresh order/notice which is in accordance with the provisions of the Street Vendors (Protection and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014 .
It also asserted that before issuing the October 16 notice, a vending committee should have been constituted to conduct survey of existing street vendors within its jurisdiction.
The vending committee should consist of only legal members and exclude unregistered vendors/bodies.
Further, the 'first come first serve basis' mentioned in the October 16 notice is inviting problems of quarrel among the street vendors, it said.