PROGRESS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STREET VENDORS (PROTECTION OF LIVELIHOOD AND REGULATION OF STREET VENDING) ACT, 2014
On 1st May 2014 through gazette notification the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act 2014 came into force.
- In Ludhiana (Punjab), the Town Vending Committee (TVC) has been constituted. Also the market leaders have approached the commissioner for enhancing the process of constitution of vending zones in 77 markets across Ludhiana.
- In Gwalior, Jabalpur, Burhanpur, Chhindwara, Sagar, Dewas, Singrauli, Satna, Riva, Katni, Ratlam (in the state of Maharashtra) the Town Vending Committee has been formed and the process of survey has started.
- In Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) the Town Vending Committees have been formed, and the process of registration of the vendors has been started and in few markets vending license has also been issued.
- In Maharashtra the Urban Development, department has issued the notification to the Municipal Corporations for the constitution of Town Vending Committee in Maharashtra. In Pune and Kolhapur the TVC has been constituted. The Kolhapur municipal corporation has distributed 5000 vending cards to the vendors.
- In Margaon and Panaji (Goa) the Town Vending Committee has been formed in all the thirteen Municipal Councils and one Municipal Corporation.
- In Rajasthan, the Director of Local Bodies (Urban Development) has issued notification for the constitution of Town Vending Committee in all the Municipal Corporations in Rajasthan.
- In Srinagar (Jammu Kashmir), the Town Vending Committee has been formed.
- In the state of Kerela TVC has been formed in Trivandrum. While in Ernakulum and Trichur notification for the constitution of TVC has been issued.
- In the state of Assam TVC has been formed in Lakhimpur and Guwahati.
Developments in Delhi
Efforts for the implementation of the central law has been initiated in Delhi and following are the developments in this regard-
- In Delhi Town Vending Committees are formed in all Municipal bodies in Delhi except the North Delhi Municipal Council. Efforts are being taken in North Delhi Municipal Council also to constitute the same.
- A Meeting of vendors from different markets across Delhi was held regarding the implementation of the Central Law in the month of April, 2014. The meeting was attended by the vendor leaders across Delhi. The meeting discussed the necessity of the implementation of the Central Law. Also information about the various provisions of the law was give to the vendors by distributing handbill, copy of the Central Law and the minutes of the TVC meeting.
- Meeting was held with Urban Development Secretary and Director of Local Bodies in Delhi for enhancing the process of quick registration of the street vendors and distribution of the vending certificate to the vendors.
- With the efforts of NASVI, the East Delhi Commissioner has issued Circulation directing its officials to not to harass the vendor and to follow the Supreme Court’s order as well as the Central Act. The circulation provides that at least those vendors who are registered and have challans should not be harassed anymore.
Developments in Chandigarh
In Chandigarh TVC is not yet formed. For constituting the TVC the Municipal Corporation has published the EOI in the month of July. Regarding the formation of the TVC, meeting with the Municipal Staff was also held. Since no other organization and members have yet applied for the same, so Municipal Corporation has republished the EOI.
Developments in Madhya Pradesh
In Madhya Pradesh TVC is formed in Gwalior, Burhanpur, Chhindwara, Jabalpur, Bhopal, Sagar, Deawas, Singrauli, Satna, Reeva, Kathni and Ratlam. Apart from Bhopal meetings are not conducted in any other places and the involvement of Street Vendors is also not there. This was discussed with the State Urban Development Authority (SUDA) officials and they had assured that a circular will be send to all the Municipal Corporation and Municipalities to have the regular meetings of TVC and involving Street Vendors in the same. The process of Licensing of the Street Vendors is still going on.
The last survey with the Street Vendors in Bhopal was done in 2012 and 5200 Street Vendors were surveyed but the actual number of vendors is around 15000 to 20000 in Bhopal. This was discussed with the BMC Commissioner and requested him to conduct the survey of the Street Vendors. He mentioned that survey will be started by end of this year.
Developments in Assam
In Assam the TVC has been formed in Guwahati and Lakhimpur. The Guwahati Municipal Corporation had a meeting with the street vendors within its jurisdiction for the purpose of selecting the vendor’s representatives in the Town Vending Committee. However the formation of the TVC has not yet been notified.
In the month of May two day’s campaign was launched with the collaboration of All Assam Street Vendor Association (AASVA) with an objective to create awareness among the street vendors about their rights and the importance of collectives. The awareness was focusing on “Supreme Court order on street vendors” the provision of “Street vendors (Protection of livelihood and regulation of street vending) act 2014. The campaign has mainly three components firstly, posturing and leaflet distribution, announcement and meeting with the street vendors. The campaign reach 500 street vendor’s of the city. The route plan of the campaign was day one Noonmati to Jalukbari and day two was Bhangagrah, GS road, Ganeshguri to Beltala.
Following this campaign several meetings were held in several places in Guwahati in Jalukbari, GS Road area, High Court area, Beltala market. The meeting focused in the issues of street vendors and how to resolve the same.
Developments in Uttar Pradesh
In Uttar Pradesh the Lucknow Municipal Corporation in the month of August 2014 has started the process of the formation of the Town Vending Committee. After strict order by the Hon. High Court Lucknow Municipal Corporation has started the survey of street vendors in Lucknow. At present total 9000 to 10000 street vendors are surveyed by the Municipal Corporation in all 6 zones of Lucknow (It Includes area under the jurisdiction of the Municipal Corporation) and survey is being continued.
In Uttar Pradesh the schemes for the street vendors to be formulated under the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014 is being formulated under the NULM which has to be implemented by State Urban Development Authority. One committee has been formed for documenting the schemes and taking decisions for the steps of implementing the Act in the state.
Developments in Tamil Nadu
- In Tamil Nadu the model rule and schemes have been prepared and sent for approval;
- The Chennai High Court in a judgment dated 9-8-2014 gave direction to the Chennai Municipal Corporation to start the survey of the vendors within a month.
- On 19- 8- 2014, representatives of Tamil Nadu Street Vending Workers Federation met Corporation Commissioner to discuss about the formation of Town Vending Committee(TVC) and survey of Vendors in Tamil Nadu. The Commissioner said that the model rules have already been prepared and the same is pending for approval. He also said that very soon the TVC will be formed and the survey of the vendors will be started.
- On 6-6-2014, the representatives of Tamil Nadu Street Vending Workers Federation organized a press meet at Chennai Press Club demanding the government to stop eviction of street vendors all over Tamil Nadu especially in Chennai. The Supreme Court Judgment and the provisions of the Central Act for street vendors were also explained in the Press Meet.
- On 19-6-2014, street vendors from across Chennai sat for one day fasting in front of the Government Guest House, Chelpark putting forth their demands.
- On 22-6-2014, street vendors’ gheraoed T. Nagar police Station demanding to stop eviction of the street vendors in T. Nagar area. The vendors also had a meeting with Deputy Commissioner and two days after the meeting the vendors were allotted back their place of vending.
- On 19-8-2014, the Tamil Nadu Street Vending Workers Federation submitted memorandums to various departments like Chief Secretary Office, Home Secretary Office, Urban Development, Principal Secretary to Government, Corporation Commissioner. The memorandum was submitted relating to the issues of the street vendors demanding the formation of TVC and survey of street vendors.
