By Rajat R. - Team Mangalorean

MANGALORE, March 17, 2010: At a time when the Mangalore city is looking at big business houses entering the trading field, it is also time that the city looked at the unorganized sector traders compassionately. Yes things have come to such a  situation when the head load vendors who are important market functionaries have to be protected by the government and given them their economic space in the regular market system. They had been there since quite a long time and they cannot be wished away or chased away by brute force of authority.
 
The officials of the Mangalore City Corporation  have made it a career out of chasing them away every now and then, and have hit the headlines often. This regular interlude has left the unorganized sector traders shaken, but it is also true that they do not have anywhere to go and barely after 24 hours of the razing operations the street vendors are back in business. The operations have also landed Mangalore City Corporation officials getting criminal notices from the legal fraternity.
 
President of the Dakshina Kannada district Goodangadi and Raste Badi Vyaparigala Okkuta (Petty shop and roadside vendors Federation) Ivan D'Souza who is also a well known legal expert of the city said that there are about 3500 street vendors in the Mangalore City area that includes Surathkal. Quoting the reason cited by the City Corporation for razing the petty shops as beautification move, Mr. D'Souza told that every part of the city cannot be beautified neither the unorganized or informal sector traders can be removed permanently by force from the face of the city.

He said they too cater to a larger number of consumers who find it affordable to buy from them as their wares are cheaper by at least 35 percent. There are people who make a decent livelihood by consuming things sold by the roadside vendors. It is totally a micro economic entity that has to survive along with the society Mr. D'Souza pointed out.

Quoting article 39(a) and 39 (b) of the Directive Principles of State Policy Mr. D'Souza stated that provisions in the constitution provides for the informal sector also to have a right to eke out a livelihood accessible to them socially and economically. The National Policy for Urban Street Vendors which is an offshoot of the spirit of the constitution has also been promulgated to protect the poor people. Quoting the all India figures about the informal sector Mr. D'Souza said there were over 1 crore street vendors in the country and about 2.50 lakh of them operate within the New Delhi Metropolitan Corporation and Old Delhi areas.
 
The Okkuta has served criminal notices to the Mangalore City Corporation for destroying the sheds and vehicles that belonged to the vendor in the past especially in one case in 2009 when the corporation demolition squad have razed to the ground several petty shops and the mobile units have been smashed into a pulp. The vehicles had proper registration numbers and their tax was also fully paid. 8 mobile canteens and good carriers belonging to the vendors and one mini van have been destroyed by the use of heavy machinery argue members of the Beedhi Vyaparigala Okkuta.
 
The Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry felt this kind of show down between the unorganized traders and the authorities have become a frequent occurrence in the city which was unfortunate, but at the same time the organized sector shopkeepers should also be protected.  The city has to bring in the concept of `Hawking Zones' where both unorganized and organized shop keepers do business in peace without trespassing into one another's interests. To begin with the entire market area starting from Lady Goshen area to the end of market road should be made `vehicle free zone' and this area be converted into the first true shopping and vending area. Parking areas will have to be developed separately.
 
The Mangalore Taluk head-load vendor's association has expressed its support to the Okkuta. Its president Mary Machado of Neerumarga has told that the problems faced by the unorganized sector vendors appear to be stemming out of the lack of pro poor policies of the Mangalore City Corporation.  The Association also has a similar fight on its hands with the Corporation.

The political parties like Congress and BJP have always picked out political angles to the issue. There had been roaring arguments on the floor of the house often but every time the political angle ruins the chances of a permanent settlement feels former Mayor K. Diwakar.  Mr. James D'Souza one of the long standing member of the council had switched his loyalty to BJP from Congress on this issue. But the poor headload vendors still continue to feel threatened and the organised market functionaries want them out of the market area.