Shillong: The Meghalaya & Greater Shillong Progressive Hawkers & Street Vendors Association (MGSPHSVA) has threatened to launch an agitation unless the Provisional Town Vending Committee (PTVC) convenes an emergency meeting within the next two days.
The association also called for the immediate withdrawal of public notices and the cancellation of all actions taken by the PTVC, deeming it an illegal body.
The hawkers’ association argued that eligible vendors should be allowed to elect their representatives to a legally established Town Vending Committee (TVC), as outlined in the December 13, 2022 letter.
This demand follows recent notices issued for the relocation of hawkers and street vendors from Khyndailad.
In a letter addressed to the PTVC chairperson, the association’s president, Biolin Pyrtuh, emphasised, “There has been a serious breach, as the notice is being issued by a body that claims to be a TVC. However, it is not a legally constituted TVC, but a Provisional Town Vending Committee. The Governor has been misled into signing a notification, and we hope the High Court is not misled as well. We urge for an emergency meeting of the PTVC within two days of this letter’s receipt to address the points raised, along with those from our previous letters.”
Pyrtuh further clarified that the hawkers and street vendors had agreed to the temporary PTVC for the sole purpose of conducting an on-site survey, reviewing claims and objections, and preparing a list of legitimate vendors for certification.
Expressing dismay over the contracts awarded for the construction of vending stalls in the MUDA and SBI main branch parking lot, Pyrtuh accused the PTVC of corruption, citing the lack of tenders or transparency in the process.
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She also highlighted a PowerPoint presentation on vending plan costs presented at a PTVC meeting, despite objections from the association, as the necessary procedures had not yet been completed.
The presentation suggested that over Rs 6 crore would be allocated to construct stalls at three locations.
The association also raised concerns over the distribution of notices by Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) workers in Khyndailad since January 8, 2025.
Many hawkers were reportedly shocked by the notices, as they had not been discussed or approved by the PTVC.
