Street vendors in Shillong seek full-fledged Town Vending Committee to protect traditional markets

CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG: Street vendors in Shillong on Friday intensified their demand for the immediate constitution of a full-fledged Town Vending Committee (TVC), alleging that the absence of a statutory body has resulted in unilateral decisions on vending zones, relocation of hawkers and issuance of Certificates of Vending (COVs) in violation of the provisions of the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act.

Members of the Meghalaya & Greater Shillong Progressive Hawkers and Street Vendors Association staged a demonstration outside the Shillong Municipal Board office, raising slogans and displaying placards to press for the constitution of the legally mandated committee through elections. The protesters contended that decisions affecting thousands of street vendors should be taken only by a duly constituted Town Vending Committee with adequate representation from the vending community, as envisaged under the central legislation.

The association alleged that the term of the Provisional Town Vending Committee (PTVC) had expired and that subsequent decisions relating to vending zones and relocation of vendors were being taken without the collective approval of the committee. Association General Secretary Shane Thabah said the protest was prompted by the expiry of the PTVC and what he described as unilateral decision-making by the authorities.

"The PTVC was constituted for one year and its term has already expired. We are demanding a full-fledged TVC because decisions are no longer being taken collectively. One senior person in the PTVC is taking decisions alone. This is illegal and shows no respect for the committee that exists," Thabah said.

He alleged that the decisions had directly affected long-standing traditional markets in Shillong, including Iewduh, Iew Mawlong and Motphran, and warned against any move that could undermine their historical and cultural significance.

"These are heritage and natural markets that have existed for generations. The law clearly states that you cannot abolish markets. The law should be used to regulate and work together, not to displace vendors," he said. Raising concerns over the relocation process and the issuance of Certificates of Vending, Thabah alleged that decisions were being implemented without consulting representatives of the vendors.

Referring to the relocation exercise in Laitumkhrah, he claimed that a site jointly identified during inspections was later de-notified by the authorities despite the vendors agreeing to cooperate with the government.

"We agreed to try the site even though it was not sufficient because we want to work with the government. But after a few days, it was de-notified. This kind of arbitrary action kills hope and saddens the public," he said.

He further alleged that the relocation of vendors from the MTC area had deviated from decisions taken during committee discussions.

"We discussed shifting food vendors to the SMB parking lot, not clothes vendors. But now COVs have been issued to clothes vendors to move to Polo without any discussion in the committee. The decision came directly from the Municipal Office," Thabah said. Calling for immediate corrective measures, the association urged the State government to constitute the Town Vending Committee through elections so that all future decisions concerning street vending are taken transparently and in accordance with the law.

"We demand that a full-fledged Town Vending Committee be put in place immediately, and that elections be held so that matters concerning street vendors are not biased and the process can move forward properly," Thabah added.

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