The street-side vendors of Ranchi did not open their shop on Wednesday in protest against the district administration’s move to relocate them to Jaipal Singh Stadium. Instead, they participated in a demonstration called by the National Hawker Federation at Albert Ekka Chowk. The protesters were joined by JVM chief Babulal Marandi and senior JMM leader Supriyo Bhattacharya.
“Poverty has spread leaps and bounds during the reign of the present BJP-ruled Government. On top of it, the State Government is concerned only about displacing the street vendors instead of rehabilitating. This is unacceptable,” Marandi said.
He further added that JVM will strongly oppose the Government if the street-side hawkers are removed from MG Road without any permanent rehabilitation arrangements for them.
On the orders from Jharkhand High Court, Ranchi district administration temporarily moved street-side vendors from MG Road (Main Road) to Jaipal Singh Stadium to ensure smooth traffic flow during Diwali and Chhath. This arrangement, which drew criticism from the hawkers for not being a lasting solution, lasted till Wednesday, following which the hawkers were supposed to return to their original spots.
“There is an ongoing conspiracy to destroy street hawkers of Ranchi which will not be tolerated. We will march towards the Parliament in protest against the scam to rob the street vendors of their livelihoods under the cover of High Court orders,” National Hawkers Federation General Secretary Shaktiman Ghosh was heard saying.
“The district administration enthusiastically removed the hawkers for temporarily bettering traffic conditions in city. But district officials were negligent of regulations of Street Vendors Act or Supreme Court rulings which instruct permanent vending markets to be made and decrees that vendors cannot be displaced without permanent arrangements for their rehabilitation,” stated Ranchi Footpath Dukaandaar Hawker Association General Secretary Anita Das.
“As per rules, the local civic body was supposed to conduct a digital survey for identifying and registering the hawkers of Ranchi and issue identity cards for them. But none of this was done. Also, MG Road was declared non-vending zone without consulting the Town Vending Committee. Our dissent is on these issues,” Das said.
But there were some who were still shops on street-sides despite government orders prohibiting it and hawker associations’ claims asserting otherwise.
“The number of such hawkers was very less, and even they were under pressure from the police forces. Their merchandise was often seized by the police force and was not returned till MG Road was a non-vending zone,” stated Das.