As soon as the new Lt. Governor Kiran Bedi assumed office in the Raj Nivas of Puducherry, she issued orders for eviction of street vendors in the Puducherry and Karaikal towns, in the name of ‘beautification’. This invoked much resentment amongst street vendors and other small businesses in the area.
In solidarity with agitating street vendors, the Puducherry unit of AICCTU took out a demonstration on 23 June 2016. The demonstration asserted that street vendors are not encroachers, rather big shops and malls owned by the rich are the real encroachers. The demonstration demanded that the central NDA government repeal the draconian Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act 2014. The demonstration was held in the main road of Puducherry town and led by the State AICCTU secretary S. Purushothaman. AICCTU Karnataka state general secretary Clifton D’ Rozario, AICCTU National vice president S. Balasubramanian, Jananayaga Kattumana Thozhilalar Sangam (AICEF) Puducherry state secretary Murugan, CPI(ML) Puducherry rural secretary A. Sakthivelu spoke at the demonstration. The other main demands raised in the protest were:
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i) Sanction Rs.10,000/- to all rain and flood affected street vendors affected in the last year’s heavy rains and with 50% subsidy without interest. Loans of all street vendors should be waived.
ii) Upgrade Unorganized Workers’ Welfare Society into a Welfare Board.
Iii) Implement Right to Education Act in the current academic year so as to benefit all street vendors and workers in industries which have been shut down.
iv) Implement Rs. 7500/- as pension to unorganized workers.
v) Allocation of 1% welfare fund to street vendors in the Municipalities budget.
vi) Free supply of power upto 100 units to all street vendors
vii) Drop the proposal of ‘No vendors Zone’ in the main thorough fares.
viii) Provide free godowns, toilets, drinking water and rest rooms to all street vendors.
ix) Strictly implement ban of plastic bags, and plant tree saplings in all streets.
x) Take stringent actions against those officials (municipal, Police) who misbehave with street vendors.
xi) Provide basic amenities to Sunday Market vendors.
