IMPHAL, June 9: Vehicles should not be allowed to park along the bazaar area roads and instead the spaces should be provided to the street vendors to sell their wares, said L Binoy Singh, president Senior Citizen for Society, Manipur during a discussion on “Problems and Prospects of Street Vendors” held at the Shri Shri Radha Govindaji Mandop, Uripok Tourangbam Liekai today.
He pointed out that the street vendors are not allowed to sit on the side of the street in the bazaar areas whereas the vehicles are allowed to park.
In other parts of the country, the street vendors are not ill-treated like in Manipur, he lamented before adding that the vehicle parking area should be shifted to a more appropriate area outside the bazaar area and free the some space for the street vendors.
The street vendors are facing lots of problems from the police who chase them away like animals and confiscate and destroy their products, he continued.
He said the issue of street vendors should be discussed during the upcoming Assembly session.
KT Rahaman, president, All Manipur United Clubs Organization (AMUCO) alleged that the police collect money from the street vendors for allowing them to sell their products.
He appealed to the street vendors to note the names of such police personnel who illegally collect money and then complain about them to the concern officers to take action.
He said such police action of collecting money from the poor street vendors and providing them with space is an offence punishable under the law.
He further said the street vendors have helped in the development of the state and participated in all the social issues.
The end of the discussion recommended to discuss the issues of the street vendors; to call for the provision of social security; to issue the identity card for the vendors by the Imphal Municipal Council and to urge for street vendors to be provided space at the top of the three markets.