The National Hawker Federation, Odisha State Committee observed the Anti-Eviction Day here on Tuesday protesting eviction drives by the State Government and demanding implementation of the Street Vendors Act-2014.
Committee president Jayanta Das said street vendors have the fundamental rights to use a portion of roads for eking out a living under the Article 19 (I) (g) of the Constitution. Instead of implementing the Street Vendors (Protection of livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act-2014, the State Government is arbitrarily carrying out eviction drives hampering the fundamental rights of the street vendors, he lamented.
On the occasion, the committee submitted a seven-point charter of demands to Governor SC Jamir through his secretary Himanshu Pattniak.
The demands include no eviction to be carried out till the Town Vending Committee is constituted in accordance with the Street Vendors Act-2014, withdrawal of the Odisha Street Vendors Rules-2015 as it is contradictory to the Act, street vendors schemes, constitution of the Street Vendors Odisha State Welfare Board incorporating 40 per cent members from among the street vendors organisations, etc.