Rain increases street vendors’ woes

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, August 3

On the one hand the much-awaited rain has brought cheer to the faces of residents, but on the other it has increased street vendors’ problems.

These days they try to find a proper place where they can sit and sell their goods. As the rainy season is in full swing they display their goods for customers only to be soaked by a sudden rain. They have no option but to pack up and move to a safer place. In a way, their business is affected.

Asked about the deplorable condition of vendors, MC Commissioner Sanyam Aggarwal said, “We had tried to provide them space in the vendors’ zone, but due to lack of space and shopkeepers’ plea not to allot them space in the vendors zone, no policy has been implemented yet. But it will take some time to solve the dispute between shopkeepers and vendors.”

Moreover, we have some other projects, which need to be focused. So, the problems of vendors would be solved after some time, he added.

Ashok Kumar, a street vendor, said, “In the monsoon, our problems get multiplied. We keep on moving our goods from place to place for a safe shelter, but in vain.”

Despite being issued a licence by the MC, they have not been allotted a proper site yet. They are tensed as they are unable to fulfil basic needs of their families, he added.

Many a time, we stage a protest against the Municipal Corporation to allocate a proper location to us, but to no avail, he added.

Deputy Commissioner Diprava Lakra said, “This is a major problem, we will try to solve this problem at the earliest.”