Hawkers celebrated the government’s submission that it will soon repeal the existing Meghalaya Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014 and follow the Central statute pertaining to street-vending.
The hawkers under the banner Meghalaya & Greater Shillong Progressive Hawkers & Street Vendors Association ((MGSPHSVA) cut a cake in the presence of TUR member and social activist, Angela Rangad, who has been supporting and fighting for their rights, at Bimola point near Motphran here today.
The proposal to do away with the State act was submitted during a hearing in the division bench of Meghalaya High Court yesterday. State government lawyer P N Nongbri during the hearing informed the court that after the State law is repealed, a set of rules in accordance with the Central statute will be brought into effect immediately.
Following the submission, the High Court decided to wait for six weeks for the State government to act. The next hearing on the matter will be held on July 1.
It may be mentioned that the association had since 2016 petitioned the state government to implement the Central Act. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Housing and Urban Affairs had also found that the provisions of Meghalaya’s state law on hawking was repugnant to the Central Act and recommended that the State government should notify the rules for the Central Act.
Speaking to reporters Rangad recalled that six years ago the association came about because there was discrimination and oppression. “Since 2015 there was rampant illegal eviction of the hawkers. There was so much illegality when they confiscated goods, it was never returned,” she said.
She said that the State government illegally brought the State law when a Central law on hawking is in place. “That was when we challenged the state law because it had clauses which disempowered the hawkers, which was nothing but an excuse to evict hawkers.
Rangad said the Central Act on the other hand ensures that alongside regulation of hawking, there would be protection of livelihoods.
She said if the State government repeals its act, victory is of the women, indigenous people and of the working classes coming together.
More than 70 per cent members of association are Khasi-Jaiñtia women who are working from hand to mouth and also trying to feed their families.
She further added that they will keep a close eye on the composition of the town vending committee.
