PRESS RELEASE
NASVI TO CM, LG AND POLICE – LOCKDOWN HAS SPELT DISASTER ON VENDORS
HARASSMENT/ BRIBERY BY POLICE HAS INCREASED MANYFOLD IN LOCKDOWN
DEMANDS RS 6000 TRANSFER TO SURVEYED VENDORS URGENTLY
Delhi 26th April 2021; The National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI) has written to Shri Arvind Kejriwal Chief Minister pointing out that the decision of Lockdown of Delhi has resulted in Police wrecking havoc on Street Vendors. Even when vegetable and fruit vendors have been included in essential services, from Beat Constable to the SHO, each of them has become the lord dictating closure to markets, deciding timing of markets and imposing weird norms to vendor like demanding e-pass Bribery even in this unprecedented time has increased .considerably. NASVI therefore urged the CM to
- Verify truth himself from the street vendors regarding Police harassment and get a directive issued to the local Police from Police Commissioner. The directive must clearly spell out when Police can interfere in Street Vending The situation is more grave in and around Anand Vihar Terminal, Ghazipur Mandi, Okhla etc. etc.
- Besides Vegetable and Fruit Vendors, others are in a precarious condition as their livelihood is ‘locked‘ in the lockdown. As 60,000 vendors have been surveyed by the agencies hired by Delhi Govt, they must be given Rs 6,000 immediately in their account so that they can feed their family and don’t fall into debt trap.
- Allow food vendors to do their business during lockdown as large number of people depend on them for cheaper food
NASVI has been training food vendors under FOSTAC of FSSAI and are willing to do anything from awareness to ensuring COVID adequate behaviours to ameliorate the conditions of vendors. NASVI has also sent the letter to LG and Police Commissioner.
[Press release: Hindi | English | Letter to CM]
