The Union government should enact a law ensuring security of street vendors in line with the Supreme Court judgement on the issue.
This was among the major demands put forward at a State level seminar on Problems and Solutions of Street Vendors jointly organised by the Centre for Women's Studies and Department of Social Work, Holy Cross College, Department of Women's Studies, Bharathidasan University and National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI) here on Friday.
A series of resolutions adopted at the culmination of the seminar also recorded its appreciation of the State government for its initial efforts to implement the National Policy on Urban Street Vendors 2009 (NPSV 2009) and urged it to continue the execution process in full fledged manner.
Sensitising the police
It also appealed to the State government to initiate steps to sensitise stakeholders especially the police, municipal and corporation officials on the need for initiating prompt action against expulsion, ill-treatment and abuses against street vendors. The government should bring in reforms in legislations to ensure the security of street vendors.
The government should conduct a survey of street vendors with the participation of vendors associations. Identity cards and licenses should be issued to the vendors. Reservation of shops and bank should also be provided to them.
The meeting also called upon the State government to constitute a City Vending Committee (CVC) with the representatives from police, Corporation, Municipality, trade associations, residence welfare association and social welfare organisations to implement NPSV 2009 and to monitor the process.
Appropriate vending zones for street vendors should identified and reserved. Priority should be accorded to street vendors while implementing development programmes.
Street vendors should be protected from local money lenders. District level committees should be formed with the representations from street vendor associations, banks, local bodies and the district administration to overcome investment problems faced by the street vendors.
Storage facilities should also be created.
NASVI national secretary V.Mageswaran presided over the seminar. R.Navamurthy, Sub-Judge and Secretary, District Legal Services Authority, R.M.Ravi, social development specialist, Sr.Jesuin Francis, Principal, Holy Cross College, N.Manimekalai, Director, Department of Women's Studies, Bharathidasan University, M.Antony Stephen, Head, Department of Social Work, Holy Cross College, and police officers spoke.
Findings of a pilot research study on issues and challenges of Women Street Vendors in Tiruchi district was also presented by Jeyabala, research scholar, St.Joshep's College.
