Legal sanction for hawkers announced before civic polls

In a sop to thousands of hawkers in the city ahead of the crucial Kolkata Municipal Corporation polls next month, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today announced legal sanction to their business.
"I am not in favour of eviction (of hawkers) but in favour of making you all self sufficient," she said amid loud cheers by a large number of hawkers at a programme here.
"From July 15, individual applications will be accepted for 3 months which will include your (hawkers) location and personal details. By October 15 the information would be digitised. From January to March a verification process will be carried out. On its completion, you will get a registration certificate and free trade licence," she said addressing a large number of hawkers at a programme here.

Details of hawkers will include - name, age, address, phone number, residential address and duration of business, she said adding the process would legalise their business.
Unofficial estimates have put the number of hawkers on Kolkata streets at 2.75 lakh hawkers at present and the figure across the state was nearly 16 lakh hawkers.
"Poila Baisakh (Bengali New Year Day), I will hand over recognition certificates for the hawkers," Banerjee announced.

"We will help you set up sheds in a 50:50 joint venture between government and individual set up. You can submit your desired designs to Kolkata Muncipal Corporation," she said.

With some parts of the city footpaths and lanes packed with hawkers which left little space for pedestrians, Banerjee said they should not encroach on the area of shop keepers or completely take over the footpaths.
"We have to keep in mind the business of the shop owners, our commitment to people comes first," she said.
Shop owners around the famous New Market area in the heart of the city are on a three-day shutdown since Wednesday protesting against the 'hawker menace'.