Dimapur, November 6 (MExN): The Street Vendors Association of Nagaland (SVAN) has extended its support to the recent statement issued by the Confederation of Nagaland Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CNCCI), seeking the functional implementation of Town Vending Committees (TVCs) across the state.
In a statement, SVAN said street vendors and hawkers across Nagaland had endured years of harassment, alleged illegal extortion, corruption, unauthorised taxation by various groups and arbitrary evictions.
The association, formed in 2020 by street vendors themselves, said it was established in response to the struggles and exploitation faced by vendors from various entities and organisations.
SVAN stated that it had repeatedly submitted formal appeals to the Department of Urban Development and local municipal authorities, seeking the constitution and effective functioning of TVCs across districts to address systemic exploitation and protect vendors' livelihoods.
It said the association had continued its efforts to safeguard the interests of grassroots vendors through awareness, discipline, education and sensitisation initiatives.
SVAN maintained that the immediate constitution and activation of legitimate and fully functional TVCs across all districts was the only concrete statutory mechanism to protect micro-entrepreneurs and bring street vendors under a common legal framework.
Citing the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, the association stated that street vendors' associations had a legally recognised role in representation and democratic decision-making within TVCs.
It said that with fully functional committees, registered and authorised representatives of vendors' associations could participate directly alongside municipal bodies, town planners and police officials in implementing the provisions of the Act.
The association further stated that TVCs, as nodal bodies responsible for implementing state and central welfare schemes for street vendors, could provide an institutional platform for SVAN to work alongside the administration in protecting vendors' rights and livelihoods.
SVAN has appealed to the Chief Secretary, Department of Urban Development and all local municipal councils to act on the CNCCI's demand and notify functional TVCs across all districts without further delay.
It said effective functioning of the committees would provide vendors with legal vending permits, official identity cards and a structured regulatory framework, thereby helping create a fair, secure and transparent commercial environment across Nagaland.
