New Delhi: Hapless street vendors, who earn their livelihood on the roads and streets of the Capital, are now being hounded by civic agencies, who have got more teeth after the Supreme Court gave them de facto power to uproot vendors and their outlets.
Civic bodies have been on a spree, razing numerous of structures and dismantling thousands of tonnes worth of food and other commodities being sold by street vendors and small shopkeepers.
With no one to listen to their plight, these vendors are struggling to make ends meet.
While the apex court's order is aimed at resolving the problem of encroachments in the city, it provides no relief to small traders who are suffering due to the mistakes committed by civic agencies over several years.
Compilation of a week's worth of data reveals that agencies have taken action in over 100 km area, comprising roads, streets and long market stretches, and have not even spared the mobile hawkers.
Since starting the anti-encroachment drive in April, the Municipal Corporations have daily been clearing almost 10-20 kilometres of roads, where vendors/hawkers depend on their livelihood.
On April 30 alone, South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) took action on both sides of a 10 km long stretch in Najafgarh, resulting in the removal of hundreds of hawkers.
The other two Corporations, North Delhi Municipal Corporation (North MCD) and East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) have also reported freeing their areas in separate drives.
The two Corporations have been, during their respective drives, retrieving several kilometres of roads and abandoned plots.
On Sunday, SDMC claimed to retrieved a four km area in Mehrauli, in addition to seizing dozens of kiosks, while North MCD carried anti-encroachment drive in all its six zones.
PK Jain, a vendor from Khari Baoli area rues, "Our temporary shops are being razed, mobile kiosks are being seized, vegetables and food items are being destroyed. We, the class of street vendors, get our livelihood by dealing in small business. But we are being victimised as if we are criminals."
"The agencies have turned a blind eye and left the entire Delhi market bleeding. Before snatching our only source of livelihood, the agencies must introduce an alternate plan for us, so that we will not get affected. Now, when we are at the verge of collapse, we have been left to god's mercy," Jain said.
These traders also rue the poor implementation of the Street Vendors Act, 2014, which advocates a clear policy for them.
As per the Act, town vending committees will be responsible for conducting survey of all street vendors under their respective jurisdictions, and such survey must be conducted every five years.
The Act further states that no street vendor will be evicted until such a survey has been made and a certificate of vending has been issued. Additionally, all street vendors will be accommodated in a designated vending zone.
In case all the vendors cannot be accommodated in the same vending zone, allocation of space will be made by drawing of lots, the Act further states.
The Act also states that those who fail to get space in the same vending zone will be accommodated in adjoining vending zones.
"Though we have limited resources, we earn our livelihood in a respectable manner. The agencies, which should protect us as per the Act, have been treating us badly. First, they allow us to do business, rake in money regularly from us, but in the end leave us bleeding in absence of a proper policy.
"The court's order is acceptable, but the responsibility of these agencies should also be fixed in a time-bound manner," says Sushil Jain, a trader associated with the trade wing in Chandni Chowk area.
"Already broken by the effects of steps taken by earlier governments, thousands of small traders in the city again became jobless after the severe anti-encroachment drives by the civic agencies. Now, when sealing and anti-encroachment drive are in full swing, issues of this section of our society be addressed in a time-bound manner," said Ramniwas, a vendor from Shahdara area.