Vendors resent delay in setting up vending zones

Ludhiana: Showing resentment against the delay in establishing vending zones, members of Rehri Farhi Federation have submitted a memorandum to MC commissioner KP Brar on Thursday against increase in composition fee without giving any facility to them. They claimed the civic body was not implementing the act for rehabilitation of street vendors, and for the past almost five years, they were moving from pillar to post to get it done. They have threatened to start an agitation against the civic body for not paying attention to it.
Recently, in a meeting of the Finance and Contracts Committee (F&CC), the members had increased the composition fee to be recovered from roadside vendors to almost double. Reacting to the increase, roadside vendors have asked civic authorities to first create vending zones for vendors, and then take any fee from them. The vendors also alleged that on the directions of councillors, officials allow vendors in any market, and if some councillor raises an objection, they remove the vendors immediately.
Rehri Fahri Federation president Tiger Singh said they were not refusing to pay the fee, but if the officials want to recover the fee from them, they should give them facilities as well. He said according to the act, vending zones were a must in every city, where vendors get space, electricity connection, washroom facility, and other facilities. He said, “the civic body is taking money from us for doing business on the road, which is not right. In a way, they are giving shelter to encroachments at their level.”
He claimed that while handing over the memorandum to Brar, he also told her that under the National Urban Livelihood Mission, a fund for establishing vending zones can be availed, so there would be no financial burden on the civic body. He said, “Moreover, when town vending committees are formed for vendor issues, then F&CC cannot decide the rates to be recovered from vendors.”
Meanwhile, zonal commissioner Neeraj Jain said rates were revised by F&CC, and they had nothing to do with it, and as far as vending zones were concerned, the file had been sent for approval from the MC general house. He said they would establish vending zones as soon as they get permission.