Day after, Sector 22 vendors put up tarpaulin sheets again

A day after the enforcement wing of the local Municipal Corporation removed illegal tarpaulin sheets put up by registered vendors at the vending sites outside Sector 22’s Shastri Market, things were back to square one today.

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Without any fear of law, the registered vendors again put up tarpaulin sheets at the vending sites, implying that the enforcement staff’s drive here had no impact at all and the anti-encroachment drives were merely an eyewash. Many of them have also occupied more space than what was earmarked to them.

Besides, there is very little difference between the street vending site and the Shastri Market shops. For some, these vending sites seem to be part of the Shastri Market as some have even erected small structures, which is totally against the norms of the Street Vendors Act.

“Implementation of the Act is a failure in the city as neither the 6’5 earmarked space is being followed by the registered vendors, nor unregistered vendors are being removed from across the city. All are hand-in-glove, thereby this issue will never get resolved. Even Punjab and Haryana High Court’s directions in this regard have failed to move officials,” said a shopkeeper from the Sector 22 market preferring anonymity.

Similarly, the enforcement wing of the MC three days ago removed illegal street vendors from outside the Terraced Garden, Sector 33, but it was back to normal the next day. The officials only act the day the matter is reported in the media. But the very next day of their drive no one bothers and it’s back to normal.