Indian Express 24.02.2010
Street vendors’ scheme: HC reprimands civic commissioner
Express News Service Tags : street vendors scheme, corporation Posted: Wednesday, Feb 24, 2010 at 0607 hrs
Ahmedabad:The Gujarat High Court came down heavily on the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) for not formulating a Street Vendors Scheme for the city, following which Municipal Commissioner I P Gautam submitted that the AMC would produce the scheme by March 3.
Sources said Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) had moved a public interest litigation (PIL) in 2006 praying for a Street Vendors’ Scheme in Ahmedabad, based on the national policy on the same issue.
The petitioner had contended that in the absence of the scheme, more than 88,000 street vendors in the city are facing innumerable hardships and their right to livelihood is getting violated.
The petitioner, advocate Bhushan Oza, said the HC had asked the AMC to formulate scheme but it has not been coming out with it since long.
On Tuesday, when the petition came up for hearing, the Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice S J Mukhopadhaya and Justice A S Dave, asked Municipal Commissioner I P Gautam to remain present in the court in order to explain the delay by the civic body. Not convinced with the explanation given by the municipal commissioner, the court came down heavily on him.
Subsequently, Gautam submitted that AMC would produce its Street Vendors’ Scheme by March 3.
