Street vendors’ bill

SHILLONG, AUG 1: In compliance with Supreme Court’s guidelines, the state government on Friday approved the ‘Meghalaya Street Vendors and Protection of Livelihood and Regulation Bill, 2014’ to safeguard the rights of the hawkers in the state.

“We have approved the Street Vendors Bill but the state government needs to proceed with the ordinance since the state assembly is not in session,” chief minister Mukul Sangma told newsmen after the cabinet meeting on Friday.

Elaborating more on the Bill, state urban affairs minister Ampareen Lyngdoh said, “The vendors policy has to be implemented by the state government in compliance with the Supreme Court guidelines.”

Lyngdoh informed that the policy would look into schemes , setting up of  town  vending committees,  registration of vendors and assigned duties of local agencies such as Shillong Municipal Board.

The main feature of the proposed bill would be to safeguard the rights of the hawkers besides defining the role of the government in their approach to the hawkers’ issue.

Under the policy, the state has to follow the all India Hawkers policy but the policy will have to be modified in the context of the current situation in the state as the government often finds it tough to acquire land in the state.

This policy would also highlight certain demarcated areas in the city which can be converted into a hawker-free zone, Lyngdoh informed.- By Our Reporter