Vendors’ associations formed in all zones amid opposition

“The zonal vendors’ committee should consist of 15 members, including officials, and 50 per cent of the members should be street vendors. But the Corporation appointed 9 officials, which will nullify the voice of vendors. Also, only members of the ruling party were allowed to contest in the elections,” MV Krishnan, general secretary of Federation of street vendors’ association in Chennai, said.

Krishnan added that the federation had approached the Madras High Court and opposed the alleged discrepancies in forming of the committees.

Meanwhile, a Chennai Corporation official said that the vendors’ committees are formed by electing six street vendors and a report would be submitted to High Court during the next hearing. “The street vendors committee will participate and give suggestions in regularising street vendors. The committees are formed to ensure safety to the vendors and to assist the civic body in regulation,” the official added.

According to the Federation of street vendors’ association in Chennai, there are only 15,000 street vendors in the city. “However, the Chennai Corporation claims that the city has more than 33,000 street vendors. The over-estimation is due to allowing private firms in the enumeration,” Krishnan added.