IMPHAL, December 4: Women Action for Development, secretary Sobita Mangsatabam today charged that the state police personnel have been scattering the wares of the street vendors and been collecting money from the vendors in the Imphal bazar areas on a daily basis.
She was addressing a discussion on the ‘Rights of Street Vendors in manipur’ as part of the International Fortnight Observation Protesting Violence Against Women at the Manipur Press Club today.
Today’s discussion was organized by the WAD in collaboration with Khwairamband Keithel Lambi-Mataida Potpham Phambi Lup (KKLMPPL); United Mission Manipur (UNM-M); Women Action for Development (WAD); New Life Foundation (NLF); People Platform Secretariat (PPS); Self Support Group (SSG); Conflict Window Forum, CoWF; Village Women Co-ordinating Committee, VWCOC and North East People`s Forum, NEPF.
Continuing on her speech, she said due to the negligence of the state government, police have been harassing the street vendors.
Further alleging that there are certain individuals who have been taking money from the street vendors assuring a vending space, she said it needs to be checked and at the same time provide the free space available at the Ima Keithel complexes to the street vendors at the earliest.
Meanwhile, advocate, L Sevananda while speaking on the topic “Right of the Street Vendors with Special Reference to the Supreme Court of India’s Verdicts” said that the Supreme Court of India had declared that street vendors have the right to sell their wares which is legal business and it is acceptable by the Constitution of India.
Meanwhile, several street vendors also recounted their experiences of harassment meted out by personnel of traffic police and VDF.