Around 1.5 lakh street vendors in Chennai have suffered massive losses after the floods, with many losing their homes and their businesses, said V. Maheshwaran, State general secretary, Tamil Nadu Street Vending Workers Federation.
Mr. Maheshwaran was speaking to reporters to highlight the plight of street vendors after the rain and to appeal to the government for help in restarting their businesses.
A survey of 304 street vendors at the Koyambedu market and in T. Nagar, undertaken by the federation along with the Tamil Nadu Forum for Creche and Child Care Services (TN FORCES), found that the vendors lost one month of their business because of the rains. Each of them lost between Rs. 10,000 and Rs. 20,000 worth of goods in the floods. In the initial phase, 38 per cent of those surveyed lived in relief camps and 59 per cent borrowed from private money lenders, the survey found.
“Vendors who leave behind goods at their stalls lost a lot, and even those who had brought them home incurred losses after their houses were flooded,” said Mr. Maheshwaran.
K. Shanmugavelayutham, convenor, TN FORCES, said that as per a government scheme planned in November, a survey of street vendors should be carried out and certificates of vending issued.
The Federation's list of demands includes a Rs. 10,000 grant to street vendors to restart their businesses and loans with minimum interest from nationalised banks.
Vendors demand a grant of Rs. 10,000 to restart business and loans with minimum interest
