HC frowns on traders-RWA plea, orders welfare cell for vendors

Court orders each petitioner to pay ₹350,000 to Chandigarh MC; fund to be used for the welfare of street vendors, their families

- HT Correspondent

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court has directed the Chandigarh municipal corporation (MC) to establish a vendors' cell for ensuring their welfare and preventing genuine vendors from getting harmed.

The high court bench of justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma and justice Meenakshi I Mehta passed these directions while dismissing petitions from Manimajra Vyapar Mandal and a Residential Welfare Association (RWA) in Manimajra. The court also slapped a cost of ₹50,000 on each, which would be deposited to the MC for being used for the welfare of street vendors and their families.

"The petition, prime facie, appears to be a motivated petition with a view to use the legal forum for evicting and destabilising the local business of street vendors. We cannot allow such abuse of process of law," the bench said.

The petitioners said they have residential houses and shops/booths in the area in question. However, inaction by the authorities in removing encroachments by street vendors from public paths has created nuisance and caused traffic hindrances in their free use, which affects their businesses.