Woman street vendors to press for passage of Bill in RS
17 Feb 2014 12:42 AM GMT
Women under the umbrella of Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) have announced that they would sit on an indefinite dharna to press for the passage of the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Bill, 2012, which is pending in the Rajya Sabha.
‘Preservation of historical markets like the Sunday Book Bazaar and emergence of Ladies Market, one with only female vendors like the Mahila Haat opposite Delite Cinema, would be possible if law safeguarding Street Vendors is implemented,’ Sanjay Kumar, managing director, SEWA, said.
The Street Vendors Bill, provisions for features that would not only provide vendors with a working license but also bring ‘natural markets’ under protection.
The bill, which was passed in the Lok Sabha last year and was brought to the Rajya Sabha this year, also provides for constitution of Town Vending Committees for implementing the provisions of the bill across the country.
Vendors account that lack of licence and a grievance redressal system subjects them to harassment by police and local authorities, which could be solved with a proper law in place.
‘We get a Rs 15 single day pass to vend there. But ‘police-wale’ harass us. They demand money despite us having a pass. Unable to pay them, they start throwing our items and even drag us out,’ said Asha, a vendor at Daryaganj’s Sunday Book Bazaar.
‘This would not happen if we get a licence and there is a law to regulate our work,’ she adds.
Sundari Ben and Rajvati, both vendors, say ‘insecurity of livelihood always remains’ for street vendors and hope that the government would soon pass the Bill to help them lead a secure life.
‘Lack of licence or legal proof subjects vendors to harassment. There is need for a law to overcome this problem, a law that would enable millions of vendors across the country to live a dignified life,’ Sanjay Kumar said.
‘Preservation of historical markets like the Sunday Book Bazaar and emergence of Ladies Market, one with only female vendors like the Mahila Haat opposite Delite Cinema, would be possible if law safeguarding Street Vendors is implemented,’ Sanjay Kumar, managing director, SEWA, said.
The Street Vendors Bill, provisions for features that would not only provide vendors with a working license but also bring ‘natural markets’ under protection.
The bill, which was passed in the Lok Sabha last year and was brought to the Rajya Sabha this year, also provides for constitution of Town Vending Committees for implementing the provisions of the bill across the country.
Vendors account that lack of licence and a grievance redressal system subjects them to harassment by police and local authorities, which could be solved with a proper law in place.
‘We get a Rs 15 single day pass to vend there. But ‘police-wale’ harass us. They demand money despite us having a pass. Unable to pay them, they start throwing our items and even drag us out,’ said Asha, a vendor at Daryaganj’s Sunday Book Bazaar.
‘This would not happen if we get a licence and there is a law to regulate our work,’ she adds.
Sundari Ben and Rajvati, both vendors, say ‘insecurity of livelihood always remains’ for street vendors and hope that the government would soon pass the Bill to help them lead a secure life.
‘Lack of licence or legal proof subjects vendors to harassment. There is need for a law to overcome this problem, a law that would enable millions of vendors across the country to live a dignified life,’ Sanjay Kumar said.
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