Jagraon MC issues identity cards to 50 street vendors

Jaswant Shetra

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, January 7

Following the instructions of the Supreme Court of India and Punjab Government to register street vendors under the Street Vendors Act and shift them to designated vending zones, the Jagraon Municipal Council has started the process of issuing identity cards to street vendors being registered by the civic body under the Street Vendors Act. Jagraon Municipal Council Executive Officer (EO) Amrinder Singh issued these identity cards to as many as 50 street vendors of Jagraon today.

According to Jagraon Municipal Council authorities, the Jagraon Municipal Council has received applications from 641 street vendors for registration so far. “The process of verification of street vendors has been going on and identity cards to remaining street vendors would also be issued very soon. Till now, 641 street vendors have applied for the registration with the civic body,” said EO Amrinder Singh

The Municipal Council authorities have also made an appeal to the street vendors to shift their vends to designated vending zone as soon as possible. In fact, Jagraon has been witnessing problem of traffic jams due to presence of street vendors on various city roads. To solve this problem, the Municipal Council authorities have decided to shift vendors to designated vending zones.

Old Grain Market Jagraon has been made a designated vending zone. However, the street vendors say they are not satisfied with the facilities being provided by the civic body authorities at the designated vending zones. “The Municipal Council has made little arrangements at these zones. Due to lack of facilities, we are not able to shift our vends to these zones as it would cause financial losses to us,” said Jagraon Rehri-Fari Association President Gurmit Singh.

According to street vendors, the local municipal council has instructed the street vendors to shift their vends to Old Grain Market, but the authorities have made no arrangement for them there. The office bearers of Rehri-Fari Asdociation of Jagraon have asked the MC authorities to make proper arrangement at Old Grain Market before they shift their vends there.

“We are ready to shift our vends to Old Grain Market, but the fact is that the authorities have made no arrangement at the Old Grain Market. We appeal to the MC authorities to install sheds and make other necessary arrangement at Old Grain Market before we shift our vends there,” said Gurmit Singh.

EO Amrinder Singh said the Municipal Council would provide all the facilities under the Streets Vendors Act to street vendors at the designated vending zone. He added that strict action would be taken against unauthorized vendors after the registration process is complete. “We have started the process and all the facilities would be available very soon. We appeal the vendors to get themselves registered with the civic body and shift their vends to designated vending zone to avoid action”, said Amrinder Singh.