Union wants vending zones set up

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, August 17

The Punjab Rehri-Phari Union has demanded that the Municipal Corporation (MC) should stop charging fee from street vendors and set up vending zones, otherwise they will move the court. The union held a meeting at Circuit House here on Friday.

While addressing mediapersons, president of the union Bal Krishan Pappi said the civic body delayed set up of street-vending zones in the city. Now, the MC was charging ‘illegal fee’ of Rs 1,600 and Rs 3,000 from the street vendors, he alleged.

“The MC should give in writing that when they are going to set up street-vending zones for the vendors. If the MC does not roll back its decision of charging illegal fee from the street vendors, we will intensify our agitation and also move the court to get justice,” he said.

Under the Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending Act 2014, the MC is supposed to set up vending zones in different parts of the city.

A street vendor said, “The civic body has asked us to pay the fee every month, but it is very high. The Municipal Corporation should set up vending zones, instead of harassing the vendors.” Earlier, the political parties, including SAD-BJP and Lok Insaaf Party, also opposed charging of fee from the street vendors.