Public opinion to be sought on Himachal street vendors' policy: Panel decides in first meeting

Shimla, Oct 3 (PTI) A committee constituted for framing a policy for street vendors in Himachal Pradesh held its first meeting on Thursday and decided to seek public opinion before finalising the rules besides regulating vendors in rural areas.

Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania had on September 20 constituted the seven-member committee headed by Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan for framing the policy in pursuance of a decision taken by the assembly.

"It was discussed that there is a need to regulate and control vendors in rural areas and the committee today gave a suggestion to the state government that Panchayati Raj bodies in the rural areas should also think and form rules to regulate the vendors in rural areas," Chauhan told media persons here after the meeting.

Opinion of the general public is important and their suggestions or objections would be sought through newspapers, emails and social media before framing rules for the vendors' policy, he said, adding suggestions and clarifications on some issues have been sought and the next meeting is scheduled on November 4.

Vendors policy is a part of concurrent list but the state government has the power to frame rules and information was provided by the urban development department on the central vendors law of 2014, vending rules made by Himachal Pradesh in 2016 and provisions of the state vendors scheme 2016, he said.

In urban areas, the policy would be implemented by the urban bodies. There are several issues and all aspects would be taken into consideration like identification of vending zones, rates, categories and space to be allotted to vendors, role of town vendors committee and legal opinion would also be sought, Chauhan added.

BJP legislator Randhir Sharma said the members suggested amendments in the act which will be examined legally and added that there is a provision of displaying identity cards by the vendors under the act made by the Centre.

The demand for registration of outside workers with their real identity was made by protesters seeking demolition of unauthorised portions of a mosque at Sanjauli area here and demonstrations were held across the state by Hindu groups.

The protesters had also demanded that street vendor licences be given only to locals and antecedents of migrant workers be verified.

The protesters have been alleging that there has been a spurt in the number of street vendors and people of a minority community and as a security measure, their antecedents be verified and registration made mandatory. PTI BPL ZMN