A three-member committee headed by a retired judge will verify objections and suggestions before finalizing the list of authorized street vendors in the twin city of Mira Bhayander.
The decision was taken in the all-party group leaders meeting held under the chairmanship of Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC)- Mayor Jyotsna Hasnale on Friday.
After scripting history for missing multiple deadlines in completing the survey of hawkers operating in the twin-city, the MBMC had recently stoked controversy over massive anomalies and bogus entries in the data compiled by a private agency.
A total of 7,645 people had initially submitted their registration forms for enrollment as authorised hawkers, after weeding out invalid entries, the number was reduced to 7,221, out of which 3,159 turned out to be outsiders.
BJP corporator-Dhruvkishor Patil dropped a bombshell by alleging that security guards, bank staffers and even salespersons had found a place in the surveyed list of hawkers.
The MBMC will now publish the list of 7,221 hawkers while inviting objections and suggestions from the public. If any objections or suggestions are received, they will be analyzed by the three-member panel headed by the retired judge following which the list of eligible beneficiaries will be finalized and officially registered as licensed hawkers after a nod from the general body.
Enacted by the central government, the Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending Act, protects livelihoods rights, social security of street vendors and for regulation of urban street vending in the country.
Envisaging licenses and identity cards to existing street vendors identified in civic surveys, the act is in force from May 2014.
All surveyed street vendors, who clear the scrutiny process, have to be accommodated in the designated vending zones subject to a norm conforming to 2.5 percent of the population of the ward.
