Bring all small and tiny traders at vegetable markets under Street Vendors Act, union urges govt.

A demand to cover the small and tiny traders at vegetable markets under the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, was made at a demonstration organised by the Kumbakonam Corporation Street Vending Employees Union, affiliated to the AITUC, on Friday.

Staging the demonstration near the Kumbakonam Head Post Office, the demonstrators raised slogans seeking the fixation of fair charges as the “land rent” to be paid by small and tiny traders engaged in the sale of vegetables and other commodities on the vegetable market premises owned by the civic bodies, particularly for the benefit of 383 such traders of Dharasuram vegetable market on the outskirts of Kumbakonam town.

Demanding proper implementation of the Act, they insisted that the street vendors should not be prevented from carrying on with their business from the places/streets they were doing their business and demanded issuance of smart card and trade certificate for all street vendors. A special loan scheme through banks was also sought.

Meanwhile, at a similar demonstration organised by the AITUC Thanjavur District Street Vending Employees Union at Thanjavur, the participants urged the State government to protect the street vendors from intimidation by politicians and anti-social elements and distribution of ‘priceless’ carts for street vendors.