BY:Rashid Paul
Srinagar, Mar 02: Keeping in view the annoyance caused to general public by the street vendors and business establishments who have encroached upon the pavements and road sides, the J&K High Court today directed the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir to provide assistance to concerned agencies in intensifying their anti-encroachment drive.
A two judge bench observed “the comfort of the general public which has been made miserable by the street vendors and other business establishments by encroaching upon the pavements and even road sides, anti-encroachment drive has to be intensified.”
The bench directed the IGP Kashmir “to make proper arrangement by providing police assistance from any source other than police stations so as to enable the anti-encroachment squad to remove all the encroachments.”
The court also directed the Divisional Commissioner, and IGP, Kashmir, to provide the required assistance to Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) for shifting the vendors running their business on streets and even on roads, to the specified vending zones in the city.
The SMC in its report to the court said “re-location of street vendors to the vending zones created or intended to be created is in process which requires assistance from the district administration as well as police which will help to make these designated vending zones operational and will also help in removing their encroachments from pavements as well as from road sides.”
It referred to the recent manhandling of its men by the vendors at Hari Singh High Street.
The SMC submitted a 2014 list, saying 2911 street vendors were found to be conducting business in different parts of Srinagar city, has been prepared.
In the first instance, the Corporation has developed five vending zones at SRTC-Partap Park, Khalsa School near Magarmal Bagh, Batamaloo, Sector-5, Batamaloo Bandar Khah and Hazuri Bagh behind Block A & B near Childrens Park, it claimed.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Labour Commissioner, Srinagar, filed a compliance report, stating that SRO 472 has been issued on Nov 16, 2017 and same is being implemented in the field and the shops and establishment owners have to observe specific day closures.
He said a meeting has been convened with the Traders Federation, which had resisted to observe alternate closures and were requested to observe Sundays and Fridays as close days.
He said in enforcing strict observance to SRO 472, the Labour department requires some assistance.
“We make it clear that till any representation is filed and considered by the Administrative department for change in SRO 472, the Court order shall be implemented in letter and spirit,” the division bench said.
In case Labour department will face any difficulty, the court said, they shall approach the concerned authorities who shall provide proper protection for enforcement of closure days.
“Law is law, has to be enforced in its real spirit. Violators thereof shall be dealt with in accordance with law by launching proper action against them. Labour Commissioner, shall take appropriate steps in this behalf and shall file latest status report on the next date as to how these closure days are being followed,” the court directed.
Regarding green gas outlets in the city, the court asked the Deputy Commissioner Srinagar to explain his position for not issuing the no objection certificate to the relevant agencies.
