MCC Commissioner C.G. Betsurmath has said that hawking zones would be identified to regulate street vendors proliferating in the city.
He told The Hindu that the Vendors’ Committee was already in place and suitable places would be identified for the hawkers to transact their business without fear of eviction. But as per law, they have to secure a licence as well as an identity card from the MCC, and only one licence can be issued per family, said Mr. Betsurmath.
“But we have a situation wherein every member of a family is involved in the fast food business without licence and they are overrunning the city”, he said. Besides that licences have to be issued based on the population of the local ward. There are other stipulations that have to be adhered to by the vendors, including maintaining hygienic condition besides agreeing to operate only in the notified areas, said the Commissioner.
The MCC had identified Valmiki Road as a food zone a few years ago but the Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) objected to the move as it abutted their campus and was a secure zone. The road abutting People’s Park was another place identified for creating hawkers’ zone but the proposal was dropped as it was very close to two educational institutions and evoked public protest.
Given the involvement of too many stakeholders, including the local councillors who would want to be seen as backing the economically weaker section of society, the MCC has a tough balancing act to do. While it cannot deny hawkers their right to earn a living, it cannot compromise on the rights of the local residents of clean environment or turn a blind eye to the proliferation of fast food vendors which adds to congestion and squalor.
MCC can issue a licence to one member of a family to run fast-food business, but we have a situation wherein every member of the family is involved in it
C.G. Betsurmath
MCC Commissioner
