Street vendors urge GoM to provide them suitable and permanent site
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 07, 2013: treet vendors plying their trades at Khwairamband Keithel areas have fervently appealed to the Government of Manipur to provide them suitable and permanent site for sustaining their livelihood.

Addressing a meeting of street vendors convened at Manipur Press club today, Educated Unemployed Youth clothes Vendor and Hawkers' Association president S Leishemba Meetei expressed that as it would impossible for the Government to accommodate all the street vendors, plot allotment arrangement be made on the basis of business seniority.

Listing street corners of Uripok road, northern side of Jiribam Parking (Wahengbam Leikai), Masjid Road, Thong Nambonbi (hump bridge), Maharani Thong, western end of Ima Keithel, Alu Galli, Museum Road, Family Welfare road and BT Road as the locations where street vendors used to ply their trades, he said priority be given to these street vendors at the time of plot allotment, if any, as they had been associated with the trade years before the Imphal market was transformed to the present-day scenario.

Recounting that when Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh was also in charge of MAHUD a special meeting was convened with then PDA Chairman and some MLAs in attendance to finalise plots from about 9000 individuals enlisted as street vendors.

Claiming that clarity on the exact figure of genuine street vendors out of the 9000 individuals could have been worked out efficiently had the Government representative consulted the senior street vendors, Leishemba suggested that ahead of any final decision the Government convene a meeting with the senior street vendors for controversy-free plot allotment.

Further stating that those at the helm of affairs of MAHUD and Imphal Municipal Council should be sincere and transparent in arranging plot allotment, he cautioned that any sort of favouritism in providing plot to the street vendors might become a headache for the Government.

Apart from many women street vendors, today's meeting was also attended by representatives of International Mothers' Association, All Manipur social Reformation and Development Samaj, advocate Angomcha Araba and social worker N Nabakanta.

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