Ban on road side vendors
A virtual death sentence for women who now have no means to earn their livelihood
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 03 2020: One 64 year old Ningthoujam Radha Devi, has been seeking shelter near RIMS casualty for the past ten years but ever since the IMC has prohibited street vendors from opening business at the roadsides, she now has no money left to even eat two meals a day and she also has not be able to get a good night sleep due to the cold harsh temperature as she has nowhere to go.

Speaking to The Sangai Express, Ningthoujam Radha said that she married her late husband Ningthoujam Nilachandra at Singjamei Chinga Makha but they failed to have a child of their own.

Ban on road side vendors

She and her husband used to have arguments due to this reason, which eventually started to affect their married life, she added.

When the marriage was on the verge of crumbling, Radha began developing health problems like abdominal pain and discomfort on chest, she narrated, while adding that she had to go alone to the hospital for the treatment.

For the past ten years, Radha has been sleeping on the cold floor, in a space between RIMS casualty and the blood bank, she told The Sangai Express.

She continued that the State Government had appealed her family members to take care of her through the local daily and electronic media.

On the other hand, Radha's health worsened and she had to undergo a surgery for stomach/abdomen which is when one Dr Paneshori of RIMS came in to help.

Radha said that she heard the news of her husband's death sometime after her operation and added that after performing all last rites, she came back to RIMS to live.

During the post-operation period, she used to have meals given by the hospital but subsequently, she had to go back to that space for shelter again.

She lamented that there were times when her clothes were even stolen from her shelter.

Radha then started earning by selling vegetables at Khwairamband Keithel.

However, the recent ban issued by the State Government prohibiting street vendors from conducting their business during daytime, brought a drastic change to her living condition.

As a result of the ban, she has not been out in the Bazar to sell vegetables for the past month and now, she has not been able to even eat two meals a day.

Eating a meal in the morning and skipping dinner coupled with the harsh chilling temperature, have made it hard for her to go through every night.

Radha appealed to the State Government to allow street vendors to open their business without any restrictions and further urged the Government to help those who are working hard to earn their livelihood.

The Sangai Express also interacted with the president of Roadside Vendors Welfare Association Khwairamband Keithel Ksh Tama, during which she informed that there are around 2300 street vendors registered under the association out of which around 800 vendors have set up their business at the temporary market shed.

The remaining street vendors are now left to open their business at the roadside around Khwairamband Nupi Keithel, at the edge of Paona and Thangal Bazars, roadside of Mapal Kangjeibung, BT road, Nagamapal and Aloo gali.

Within a limited period of time (from 2.30 am till 9 am), people from different parts of the State open their business at Khwairamband while members of the association run the business during daytime.

On the other hand, street vendors conduct their business from 5 pm till 9 pm.

She further informed that there are 7000 women vegetable sellers who are conducting business at Khwairamband, excluding the members of the association.

The Roadside Vendors Welfare Association, on January 30, had demanded implementation of Street Vendors Act 2014, to provide ID cards to street vendors and to provide vending space at the vacant spaces above the three Keithels, she asserted.