Vendors protest anti-encroachment drive

Our Correspondent

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Raikot, November 20

The administration remained on toes while handling the situation following an action taken against vendors, who had been allegedly interrupting vehicular traffic with vends and handcarts.

A large number of vendors led by president of the Vendors Union Vijay Kumar had launched a protest with their hands tied after a team of officials of the civic body led by Jagjit Singh and cops led by City SHO Jagbinder Singh tried to remove encroachments from the side of roads and streets passing through main markets of the townyesterday.

Meanwhile, the administration claimed that the action was initiated to prevent interruption in the free flow of traffic. However, the vendors rued itwas injustice to ‘snatch’ their only source of livelihood by forcing them to remove vends from places which they had been occupying since years.

Situation became tense after office-bearers and activists of various leftist organisations joined the protest launched by the vendors. Besides organising protest rally at Talwandi Gate and police station, the protesters marched through various streets and markets of the town. They tied hands with ropes in protest.

Terming the action of the administration illegal and unwanted, the protesters said instead of providing employments, the administration was bent upon harassing self-employed persons. CPIM Santokh Singh, CITU president Daljit Kumar Gora, Raj Jaswant Singh Talwandi and Ram Sarup Kalsian were among leaders who supported the agitation launched by the vendors.

Executive officer, Municipal Council, Jagjit Singh and councillors led by Dr Harpal Singh claimed that the council had already initiated the process for providing a specific space to set-up vends at suitable places in the town.However, the issue was temporarily resolved by allowing vendors to set-up vends at certain earmarked places on sides of the roads, which will cause minimum interruption for the vehicular traffic, they added.

MC FINDING ALTERNATive LOCATIONS

Executive officer, Municipal Council, Jagjit Singh and councillors led by Dr Harpal Singh claimed that the council had already initiated the process for providing a specific space to set-up vends at suitable places in the town. However, the issue is temporarily resolved by allowing vendors to set-up vends at certain earmarked places on sides of the roads, which will cause minimum interruption for the vehicular traffic, they added.