Committee gets power to remove illegal vendors from mandi

Looking to rein in encroachments, the UT Administration has notified bylaws giving the Market Committee powers to issue challans against illegal vendors at the Sector-26 grain, fruit and vegetable market.

The notification was issued after the Administrator approved the proposal moved by the State Agricultural Marketing Board, Chandigarh.

The Market Committee will now not only be authorised to issue challans against the illegal vendors but also seize their items.

Notably, Chandigarh Tribune had in an earlier report highlighted the issues of poor sanitation and encroachments at the mandi. Taking suo motu cognisance of the report, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has sought the an affidavit from the UT Administration. The Punjab State and Chandigarh (UT) Human Right Commission had also issued notices to the Secretary, Mandi Board.

Under the new rules, the Market Committee has been authorised to issue a maximum challan of littering up to Rs 10,000 under Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 notified by the UT Administration.

Committee Administrator Paviter Singh confirmed that the notification for the bylaws has been issued. As per the notification, “vendor” means a person engaged in vending of articles or offering services to the general public in notified market area, either from a temporary built-up structure or by moving from place to place. It also covers hawkers, peddlers and squatters among others.

A street vendor who has been registered with the Municipal Corporation (MC) shall only be allowed to carry out business strictly within the designated vending zone and within the permissible limit of area allocated for vending.

Violators will be liable to pay the penalty of Rs 1,500 for a first-time violation and Rs 2,500 for a second violation, while a third violation will result in a Rs 10,000 fine as well as seizure of goods. The mandi supervisior-cum-fee collector will conduct the seizure.

The street vendor whose goods have been seized will have no right to reclaim them as it will be auctioned as per the schedule notified by the Committee from time to time.

Committee also responsible for sanitation services

The Committee will also be responsible for providing the sanitation services as per the provisions of waste management rules in the principal market yard or sub-market yard.

The new rules also prohibit holding of events at any unlicensed place without intimation to the Committee at least three working days in advance. The event organiser shall also ensure segregation of waste at source and handing over of segregated waste to waste collector or agency.

The supervisor or sanitary inspector as the case may be, shall be empowered for levying the penalty and administrative charges under these bylaws.

Mohit Sood, president of the Grain Market Welfare Association, has welcomed the notification and expressed hope that the implementation of the new rules can solve the problems of the illegal vendors at the mandi.