East Delhi street vendors will now get health trade licences

New Delhi: East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) has given anticipatory approval to a policy that will issue health trade licenses to street food vendors. EDMC is the first local body to work on and give approval to such a policy in India, the civic body claimed even as it along with other MCDs is under pressure from the Delhi High Court over the proper implementation of the Street Vendors Act.

The health trade license will be provided to vendors keeping in mind the terms and conditions that EDMC sets. Shyam Sunder Aggarwal, EDMC Mayor explained that the street food vendors should not cause any nuisance, spread odours, litter or noise and not affect the traffic flow or pedestrian movement during their operational hours from 8 am to 10 pm.

Aggarwal said that licensees will mandatorily undergo training under Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and/or Skill Development Programme. Talking about the policy, he added, "The zonal town vending has surveyed and selected street venders and will allot sites to them only after which the health trade licence would be issued."