RAJ KUMAR
Ranchi, Nov.24: Majority of vendors across the state capital today kept their business suspended to protest against ‘illegal collection” by the enforcement team and vigilance team of Ranchi Municipal Corporation.
Deputy Municipal Commissioner, Kunwar Singh, in an exclusive talk with lagatar24.com, rubbished the allegation saying ‘vendors did not follow rule and when imposed fine, start agitation with false allegation’. A section of agitating vendors said the enforcement team has turned into an extortionist and they seize material for marketing in case of non-payment of money without any receipt.
“When we shared our problem to our leaders and they talked to the RMC officials regarding this, the enforcement team registered a false FIR at Doranda police station and started perpetuating atrocities against us,” a vendor said requesting anonymity.
General Secretary of Ranchi Footpath Dukandar Sangh, Anita Das, who was leading a massive demonstration near Raj Bhawan against the alleged illegal collection, supported the fact saying it was she and her organisation’s president Deepak Kumar against whom FIR was registered.
“We have be charged with the allegation of damaging government vehicle though we just asked enforcement team at Birsa Chowk to act in accordance with the decision taken by town vending committee (TVC),” she said sharing a letter by which informed about the problem to municipal commissioner who also uses to be chairman to town vending committee (TVC).
A section of vendors staging demonstrations at the RMC office said the civic body has made their lives hell.
“We carry out our business at Morabadi ground. Enforcement teams seize our furniture and other necessary items required for business beside the road and in return for those materials demand a heavy amount as bribe,” a lady vendor said.
Agitating vendors were raising slogans like ‘jo jamin sarkari hai wo jamin hamari hai’ (Government’s land is our land) and warning civic authorities of dire consequences in case of any coercive action and any interruption in their business in violation of high court guidelines which provide identity cards to each vendor.
“How come the civic authority harasses us when it has failed to provide an identity card despite a survey,” a leader of vendors from Atal Smriti Vendor Market, Nagendra Pandey said.
Asked Pandey why he was agitating when the government had already provided him with a shop, he said: “My DNA has not changed. I am still a vendor.” “Whether an Indian staying in the US can forget his motherland,” he questioned.
There are as many as 5,901 vendors in the city according to a RMC survey. Though attempts are being made regularly to ensure that they do not encroach on roads for their business, the problem is yet to be sorted out.
On which Pahan said: “A delegation of vendors met me today. I have asked them to carry out their business properly and also assured that they will not be harassed by anyone in case they do not use hoarding, tarpaulin and other items that take up a lot of space on the road.”
