Pearl D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Aug 19:The Mangalore City Corporation has warned the cancellation of identity cards issued to street vendors if they do not use the official vending zone near State Bank allocated to them.

For the sustained livelihood of street vendors and the convenience of pedestrians and motorists, the hawking zone was built.  Vendors from state bank, service bus stand, Government Lady Goschen Hospital, and Nehru Maidan vicinity were alloted space there.

Despite telling them several times orally and in written, they have not relocated. This continues to caus inconvenience to pedestrians and motorists, said the MCC in a communique.

A deadline of August 21 has been given to the street vendors with identity cards to relocate to the official hawking zone. Failure of which will lead to their cards being cancelled, it informed.

Street vending zone

On December 9, last year, the demarcated zone for street vendors was inaugurated by the then mayor Harinath. Ever since the city has seen as many as three eviction drives.

The zone was seen as a fulfilment of the longstanding demand of the street vendors, and in adherence with the Supreme Court directive ensuring the safety of urban street vendors.

Hawkers, who are majorly migrants, have been the bloodline of the local economy trade about everything from knickknacks to core necessities and are the easiest means to affordable purchases. These street vendors pick spots for the trade based on the density of footfall. But they remain vulnerable to the constant evictions and seem to be driven into trouble from time to time. Though many call vendors a menace, very few know about their back-breaking experience.

With plenty of data about their vital role in the local economy,and not many champions to their cause, reasons for not finding them in the vending zones, still elude most.