Staff reporter
Guwahati: Street vendors across Guwahati have come together in protest against what they allege are arbitrary and sudden eviction drives by the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC). These vendors, many of whom sell fruits and vegetables in key city areas, claim they have been complying with all legal requirements, including paying daily taxes and carrying valid identification cards issued by the civic authority.
Despite this, they say they are being forced off their spots without any prior notice, leaving them struggling to make ends meet.
Rina Das, a vegetable vendor from Uzan Bazar, shared her frustration, saying “This is our only means of survival. We pay our taxes, we have valid ID cards from the GMC, and yet we are being thrown out like criminals.”
Vendors allege that certain GMC officials are exploiting them, targeting legal vendors while ignoring illegal encroachments. They are demanding a stop to these evictions and a clear demarcation of vending zones in the city.
Local residents and civil society groups have also come forward in support of the vendors, arguing that these actions threaten the livelihoods of low-income families. Protesters have warned that they will continue to intensify their agitation if their demands are not met.
Rina Das further said, “There is no warning, no relocation plan, just sudden eviction. How are we supposed to feed our families?”
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