Shopkeepers, vendors spar over biz rights
Tribune News Service
Mohali, March 19
While the Mohali Municipal Corporation is yet to issue licences to identified vendors under the Street Vendors Act 2014, scuffles between shopkeepers and vendors have become a routine affair at the Phase 3B2 market here.
While the vendors alleged that they were being shooed away by shopkeepers in the market, owners of the shops alleged that they were being threatened by vendors and their ‘musclemen’ every other day.
JP Singh, president of the Market Association Phase 3B2, said not only the business of local shopkeepers was being affected adversely, but nuisance was also being created due to the presence of these vendors in the markets.
“A large number of youngsters keep thronging the stalls and several of them indulge in practices such as eve-teasing so women/girls have started avoiding our market,” alleged JP Singh, along with other shopkeepers.
Shopkeepers said they had given several representations to the local police and the MC seeking an action in this regard, but to no avail. They said considering the apathy of the authorities concerned, they were forced to initiate some action against the unauthorised vendors on their own.
Meanwhile, the vendors claimed that they were being harassed by the shopkeepers unnecessarily. “We all are poor and do our businesses here to make both ends meet. We create no nuisance, but these shopkeepers want to shoo us away for no reasons,” said a vendor who sells Chinese snacks in the market.
The vendors also alleged that some of the shopkeepers wanted them to go as they have encroached the corridors in front of their shops. “When we set up our stalls, it troubles them,” alleged the vendors.
