Hawkers are a fact of life, it’s time we acknowledge that

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After the Bombay High Court observed that unauthorised hawkers have taken over every street, the BMC has been cleaning up the streets. The hawker's union has demanded implementation of the Hawkers Policy that has been pending for eight years, a report stated in this paper. The Azad Hawkers Union has written to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde requesting a meeting to discuss the same. The Town Vending Committee (TVC), decides guidelines and eligibility of the Hawkers Policy.

As per the policy, there must be a central Town Vending Committee and seven zone-wise committees, each comprising 20 members. Of these, 12 are nominated while eight are hawkers' representatives, elected by vendors - 32,000 hawkers are eligible voters.

While the general populace may not know too much about the Hawker's Policy, it seems convoluted to follow, it is evident now that the pot is boiling over, not just simmering. There has to be a just and lasting solution for hawkers and people, too. They both need to exist.

Policy or not, weed out illegal hawkers stopping this from being a temporary solution. Streamline legal hawkers into a set territory or zone. These should be demarcated in such a way that they leave the pavements and roads free for people. Take the strictest action against hawkers who actually ‘sublet' their space to others.

Hawkers cannot store goods on roads, or in building alleys and entrances once the day is done, or their hawking is over for that day. Hawkers need to clean up too. Stop electricity stealing, digging up surfaces or the grounds for poles. Regulate hawkers well. It is a fact that people buy and will continue buying from hawkers.