MGSPHSVA slams those blaming hawkers for obstructing fire tenders

The Meghalaya & Greater Shillong Progressive Hawkers and Street Vendors Association (MGSPHSVA) on Monday has taken strong exception to the negative comments of a few vested interested parties trying to insinuate and blame the street vendors and hawkers for the delay of fire tenders to reach the Janata Furniture building during the fire incident on Saturday.

“The blame is uncalled for; instead, the local authorities and welfare society must introspect and critically examine the safety issues with the emergence of high-rise buildings in the area. What is needed now is to immediately constitute an independent body to study and conduct a safety audit of all buildings in the area, including all business and residential areas in the city,” general secretary of the association Shane Thabah said in a statement.

He said the association expressed its grief and sorrow at the unfortunate incident and also extended its condolences to the family of the one who died in the incident.

Stating that Shillong is being destroyed by capital greed and unscrupulous planning, which flout every norm at every level of civic administration, Thabah said, “A similar fire damaged the Church in Qualapaty four years ago, claiming two precious lives. In Qualapaty, the heavy fire trucks could not squeeze through the narrow roads to reach the fire. A few months ago, one of the oldest schools in the city, the KJP Girls Higher Secondary School, was destroyed by fire. During this incident, the firefighters were helpless again, unable to navigate their trucks through the narrow lanes.”

“In fact, during the inferno on Saturday, the association members trading in the Khyndai Lad area did their best to assist and lend helping hands to the victims while risking their own lives. The hawkers and street vendors did not cause any obstruction as they immediately withdrew their wares from the road when the building caught fire,” he said while expressing that the association is willing to work alongside the District Administration to build a safe and equitable Shillong.