Illegal encroachment of street space by vendors continues because the State government has not implemented the Meghalaya State Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Scheme, 2023.
This was noted by the Meghalaya High Court on Thursday during a hearing of a PIL filed by Philip Khrawbok Shati and Andrew Aibok Jyrwa.
The division bench of Chief Justice Indra Prasanna Mukerji and Justice Wanlura Diengdoh said, “Special danger is caused to school going students who are unable to use the footpath and are compelled to walk on the road exposing themselves to traffic accidents.”
The court said although the government has taken steps for registration of authorised vendors, identification and allocation of vending zones with a plan for erection of several hundred stalls and adopted the policy to relocate these vendors to those vending zones, the scheme has not been implemented. “As a result, the problem of illegal occupation of road space and footpaths and congestion continue,” it added.
During the hearing, the Advocate appearing for the State assured the court that the government is keen to implement the policy and scheme expeditiously.
“In view of such submissions made, we are prepared to give his client a chance to carry out our order and the commitments expressed in its report,” the court said and also gave the state time till July 1 to implement the scheme.
The next hearing is scheduled for July 3, 2025.
