People’s Commission hears grievances of over 100 street vendors in Shimla
Shimla, August 23
A People’s Commission on Sunday held a public hearing on the livelihood, rights and problems being faced by street vendors and small traders in Shimla city at the Rotary Town Hall. More than 100 street vendors participated in the hearing and placed their grievances before the Commission.
The vendors raised issues relating to eviction, allocation of vending spaces, rehabilitation, licensing and protection of their livelihoods. Several vendors alleged that provisions of the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act were being violated and that they were being harassed in the name of removing encroachments.
They also alleged that representatives of street vendors in the Town Vending Committee were being bypassed in decisions concerning vending arrangements and rehabilitation. Members of the Town Vending Committee who participated in the hearing also raised concerns over the functioning of the committee.
The People’s Commission is headed by Justice Vinod Kumar Sharma, retired Judge of the Himachal Pradesh High Court. Its members include Dr Amar Singh Sankhyan, retired professor of Himachal Pradesh University; Adarsh Kumar Sood, former Mayor of Shimla Municipal Corporation; advocate Bharti Verma; senior journalist Anand Sharma; advocate Manika Singh; and human rights activist Ashok Kumar.
The hearing was organised by the Himalayan Centre for Human Development to provide street vendors a platform to present their grievances directly before an independent panel.
The vendors highlighted the difficulties they face in securing designated vending spaces and continuing their businesses without disruption. They also sought effective implementation of the statutory safeguards provided to street vendors and greater transparency in decisions taken by the Town Vending Committee.
The organisers said the testimonies and issues raised during the hearing would help the Commission examine the difficulties faced by street vendors and assess whether their statutory rights and livelihood protections were being properly implemented.
The participating street vendors expressed gratitude to the Chairperson and members of the People’s Commission for conducting the hearing and providing them an opportunity to place their grievances before the panel.
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