Bains stands up for vendors

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, August 13

Lok Insaaf Party chief and MLA from Atam Nagar constituency Simarjit Singh Bains has demanded a reduction in the fee levied on vending. Bains, along with party councillors, met Municipal Commissioner Kanwalpreet Brar on Monday.

Bains said the civic body charged between Rs 1,600 and Rs 3,000 per month as vending fee. “The fee being charged by the civic body is against the policy for street vendors. If the MC wants to charge any fee, it should charge it for a period of one year because poor vendors can’t pay Rs 3,000 every month,” he said.

“The vendors can’t pay this high fee to the civic body every month. If the MC does not roll back its decision, the street vendors will protest against the MC and we will support them,” he said.

Notably, the SAD-BJP has also opposed the fee. The rehri-phari federation has demanded the civic body set up street vending zones at the earliest, so they don’t have to suffer on account of high fees any more.

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