Khairnar hawks peace, vendors hail plan

Khairnar hawks peace, vendors hail plan
Express News Service

May 31: Burying the hatchet with the hawker community dramatically on his last day in office, Deputy Municipal Commissioner G R Khairnar has announced a ``peace plan'' with the tentative consent of the unions today. The scheme, which will allow vendors to ply their trade in a ``disciplined manner'', also represents a marked shift in his attitude a day before he takes over as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Thrashed out over the last week or so, the plan has also averted a proposed agitation by hawkers from June 1.

In his new avatar -- and with considerably diminished powers -- the man who earned the sobriquet `Demolition Man' for his ruthless crackdown on Mumbai's hawkers, says: ``There are many who are earning their living and looking after their families. I do not wish to hit them on the stomach. I want them to conduct themselves in a disciplined manner.''

Concluding his 43-day tenure after his reinstatement, which saw a crackdown at CST and Churchgate stations, Central Telegraph Office, D N Road, Prabhadevi, Dadar station, Chembur, Ghatkopar, Mulund and Juhu, Kharinar said: ``Hawkers are a social necessity and we can't do away with them. Try as we may to evict them they will return. However hawkers should hawk their wares in such a way that the keep the roads and foothpaths free for traffic and pedestrian movement. Towards this end, I have formulated this scheme.''

According to the agreement, hawkers will be permitted to vend in ``one row on both sides of pavements or roads, if there is no footpath.'' Further, they will not form a second row or hawk their wares in the middle of roads. A civic van will be stationed along with with two commandos and three civic staff to monitor the hawkers. The upkeep of the staff and vehicle will be borne by the shopkeepers and hawkers. A core committee of two representatives each of hawkers, shopkeepers and local citizens will be formed to monitor the discipline hawking.

This experiment has been tried at Dadar, where Khairnar first commenced his eviction drive after his return, and has been hailed by the local hawker and shopkeeper community. Vendors at Dadar had not only occupied pavements but had spilled on to the roads leaving pedestrians little or no space. Today, stalls that stood in two or three rows, have been removed. Violation of the hawking regulations will invite confiscation of goods.

Union leader Sharad Rao has welcomed the new scheme, saying it will do away with the ``hafta system''. Claiming it as a ``victory of the hawkers' unions'' he said, ``We shall try it out and see whether it helps. It will put an end to haftas and harassment from civic staff.'' We are against the nomination of hafta-takers on the committee.''

He says alleged that before starting the scheme at Dadar and Nariman Point, Khairnar ``knowingly or unknowingly discussed the scheme with the king-pins of hafta in the hawking trade. He pointed out that the Pheriwala Sangharsh Samiti had lodged complaints with chief minister and police commissioner. ``We have deferered the agitation by 15 days. We shall oeganise meetings of hawkers all over the city and select two hawkers'representatives, whose names will be submitted to Mayor Hareshwar Patil and Municipal Commissioner V Ranganathan on June 22. On the same day, a rally of hawkers will be organised at Azad Maidan and we shall declare our future programe,'' Rao said.