Shillong: Shillong hawkers marched on the Municipal Board Friday to protest their forced move from Jail Road to Anjalee. Protesters carried signs and shouted slogans. They demanded a full-fledged Town Vending Committee be formed immediately. They refuse to budge until vendors get a seat at the table.
Shane Thabah, general secretary of the Street Vendors Association, said current management is illegal. He claims a single official now calls all the shots. "The PTVC was constituted for a year, and its term has already expired," Thabah said. He argues that decisions made without a proper committee ignore the law and kill public trust.
The group claims the government ignored them on several past projects. Thabah pointed to a failed site in Laitumkhrah that was suddenly de-notified after vendors agreed to move there. He also called out the sudden decision to shift clothes vendors to Polo without any talk. Street vendor Larisa Marbaniang insisted the Anjalee site is a poor fit for business.
The Urban Affairs Department is pushing a phased relocation plan to clear out the most congested parts of town. Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar expects a decision on Laitumkhrah soon. For now, the vendors want an end to unilateral orders and a return to the rule of law.
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