Correspondent
Shillong: Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) 2 spokesperson and Meghalaya Minister in charge of Tourism, Paul Lyngdoh, today said that “vested interests” are deliberately trying to stall the resolution of the hawkers’ issue for their own gain, despite most stakeholders agreeing to government proposals.
“There are some vested interests who would like to see that the hawkers issue is not resolved because they gain from the fact if the matter is not resolved,” Lyngdoh said. “But the vast majority have all agreed to these decisions, including the top leaders of the associations who have participated in the various meetings. The fact that the 200 of them have also agreed to move out to the new vending zone goes to proof that they have agreed. Now what is stopping the rest of them from moving out?”
Stressing that the government has been patient, he added, “We have even considered extension of the timeline till July 22. We will give them time to move to the new vending zone after which the law of the land will take its own course.”
Highlighting the larger goal, Lyngdoh said, “We have been very responsive and responsible too. The entire aim of the state government is to decongest Shillong and regarding that particular stretch at Khyndailad, the plan is for the government to pedestrianise the entire zone. All road users have equal rights and my right as a vendor should not mean the denial of the right of other road users.”
Responding to criticism over government action, the Minister clarified that the process has not been arbitrary. “Now as far as the Town Vending Committee is concerned, discussions have taken place over the course of last one year. This is nothing that the government did in a flash of a moment. We have been in constant touch with all the vendors and even their top leaders have attended these meetings from time to time. These meetings have been properly minuted, properly recorded, and they have agreed to the terms and conditions.”
Condemning a recent incident involving some hawkers, he said, “What happened yesterday was unfortunate and uncalled for because the officers have gone and made it clear that only those possessing what we call as COV – Certificate of Vending – will be allowed to carry on their trade.”
“The government has also been very lenient because we have given them time, but as the deadline ended, we extended it to July 22. There is space for 400 hawkers out of which only half have agreed to move out,” he said.
To ease the transition, Lyngdoh announced that each hawker who shifts to the new vending zone will receive Rs 10,000 as a one-time shifting allowance and a monthly support of Rs 2,000 for five months. “The government has already intimated to them that as they start their venture in the new vending zone, each vendor will get a monthly financial support of Rs 2,000 per vendor for five months in order to help incentivise them as they shift to the new vending zone.”
He also informed that the CEO of the Municipal Board will soon convene a meeting of the Provisional Town Vending Committee.
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