Shillong, December 21: The street vendors and hawkers problems is a national phenomenon, is not only in the Shillong City. The ongoing situation with the Street Vendors and Hawkers in Shillong City is a serious situation adversely affecting the lives of thousands of families especially in the lower income groups.
The situation is a humanitarian one reflecting on the inability of the Government of Meghalaya to tackle the issue in line with the National Policy on Urban Street Vendors, 2009. The Supreme Court of India in 2010, has recognized street vending as a source of livelihood and directed the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, to work out on a central legislation, and a draft of same was unveiled to the public on November 11, 2011.
Ultimately the Government of India passed the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014 on 5th March, 2014. Meghalaya followed suit on 10th November, 2014 passing the Meghalaya Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Bill, 2014.
Base on, the Meghalaya Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Bill, 2014. Form was prepared by the SMB and was place in their office for the street vendors and hawkers to fill out the form so that the SMB can allot the place for them.
The Chief Executive officer of the SMB told SP News Agency that around two hundred form so far have been issued to street vendors and hawkers who has go and collect form the SMB office. The CEO also said that there are office staff who were assign to help them in filling up the form.
