7,424 fee defaulters may lose vending licence in Chandigarh

Sandeep Rana

Chandigarh, July 6

Of a total of 10,920 registered street vendors in the city, 7,424 are not paying vending fee on a regular basis and more surprisingly, 2,410 have never paid any amount since their registration in April 2018.

These vendors may soon lose their licenses as the Town Vending Committee (TVC) has given approved to starting the proceedings for the same. They will be served a final notice, following which their licences will be cancelled, if they still failed to clear their dues.

Key approvals by committee

• Allotment of vacant sites to those vendors who are depositing their fee regularly and development of 10 Model Vending Zones
• FIR to be filed against unauthorised vendors through the area Sub-Inspector of Enforcement Wing, the SSP (Law and Order) to provide assistance
• 25% fee waiver to vendors, who are transgenders or living with HIV/AIDS

The TVC today delegated the powers to the Additional Commissioner/Joint Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, to cancel the licences of the erring vendors after following due procedure as per bylaws.

According to the MC, of the 10,920 registered street vendors, there are 2,608 non-essential service providers (NESP) who have not been allotted any site so far. Every registered vendor is liable to pay a monthly vending fee by the 10th of every month.

The MC officials said efforts had been made to make the vendors aware of their pending fee by publishing public notices from time to time.

The lists of fee defaulters have been provided to the Enforcement Branch from time to time, so that the necessary action can be taken. But the vendors are still not paying their dues. As a result, the corporation is facing a huge revenue loss as well as the mushrooming of unauthorised vendors.

Besides, it was directed to file an FIR against those illegal vendors who are not shifting despite being challaned. There is already a provision in the law, but legal action is seldom taken by the MC even as there are a large number of illegal vendors in parts of the city.

Traders oppose new zones

The Chandigarh Beopar Mandal has opposed the carving of new vending zones in some markets. Its president, Charanjiv Singh, opposed the proposed zones in markets, especially in Sector 24-D, 32-D, 37-D and 41-D, saying that these markets are already congested. Sanjeev Chadha, general secretary, raised the issue of Sector 17 markets where vendors have again started doing business, especially in the evening hours.