Shillong, Aug 1: Hundreds of hawkers and street vendors from various parts of the city converged on the office of the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) today afternoon to demand the convening of the Provisional Town Vending Committee (PTVC), which has not met since June.
After they marched to the office of the SMB, led by members of the Meghalaya and Greater Shillong Progressive Hawkers and Street Vendors Association (MGSPHSVA), the government agreed to convene the PTVC on August 6.
MGSPHSVA adviser, Angela Rangad, said that the hawkers and street vendors are demanding the immediate convening of the PTVC, firstly to discuss the confusion over the recent relocation of hawkers from Khyndailad, where around 60 individuals she said were eligible were not given a Certificate of Vending (CoV) even as several ineligible people were.
Rangad also said that the next PTVC meeting should also discuss the frequent threats of the government to remove hawkers from other parts of the city.
“We as members of the PTVC know that there has been no meeting yet to discuss relocation of hawkers from other parts of the city,” she said.
Rangad also stated that the government is yet to settle the confusion arising out of the relocation of hawkers from Khyndailad to the nearby MUDA parking lot.
