Hawkers’ policy: BMC seeks your feedback
MUMBAI: Citispace activists Nayana Kathpalia and Neera Punj will address a series of public meetings from Friday through Sunday, creating awareness about a new hawkers’ policy being formed by the civic corporation. The BMC has invited suggestions and objections to the proposal before April 5.
The gatherings have been organised at three venues, one each for the island city and the western as well as eastern suburbs. The first meeting will be held on Friday at Lohana Mahajan Wadi in Bhuleshwar, the second at Dr Ambedkar Road in Khar on Saturday, and the third near Chheda Nagar in Chembur on Sunday.
This will be the first time that Kathpalia and Punj will address a public meeting as the duo was attacked and threatened by unidentified miscreants on January 8. Armed gunmen had fired shots into Kathpalia’s home at Churchgate and twice threatened Punj over the phone.
Kathpalia explains the mandate Citispace brings. “The Centre has framed the National Street Vendors Policy and asked each state to formulate its own guidelines about hawking zones. Maharashtra and Mumbai have each prepared a set of proposals. The BMC has invited suggestions and comments from Mumbaikars to the newly drafted regulations for the city before April 5. We want people to be aware of these guidelines so that they may give informed feedback to the civic authorities.”
Citispace had earlier done so in 1988-89 when the hawkers zones were proposed. “Our NGO has been in court for 11 years since 1998, urging the BMC to implement its own order on hawking and non-hawking zones,” says Kathpalia. “Ironically, it was the civic body that framed the guidelines, which the hawkers have challenged in court. The Supreme Court endorsed the policy with a few minor changes.”
Various hawkers unions, which have already filed a contempt petition against the BMC and state for formulating a new policy in violation of national norms, are willing to challenge the policy in court. The hearings, they said, have no legal standing as they fall outside the purview of the national hawkers’ policy. The city has over 2 lakh hawkers, of which about 15,000 have licences. Sharad Rao, president of Bombay Hawkers’ Union, said NGOs must look at the issue concerning the livelihood of lakhs of people.