By Sunil Sonker Mussoorie, 2 Jan: The protest launched by street vendors, which had been going on for the past 13 days at the Shaheed Sthal, here, has finally ended.
Municipal Chairperson Meera Saklani played a decisive role in resolving this situation. The Municipal Chairperson reached the protest site, directly interacted with the street vendors, listened to their problems, and assured them that all eligible vendors would be settled permanently and systematically within the framework of the rules. Saklani clearly stated that street vendors would not be allowed on the Mall Road under any circumstances, but the places where they would be relocated would be permanent, and the vendors would not face any inconvenience there. She said that basic facilities such as drinking water, toilets, sanitation, and security would be provided wherever vendor zones are established.The Municipal Chairperson said that the municipal administration would strive to develop the vendor zones not merely as temporary arrangements, but as municipal markets, so that the livelihood of the street vendors is secured and tourists also get a well-organised shopping experience.Meera Saklani launched a direct attack on some politicians, saying that it is unfortunate that some people only used the issue of street vendors for political gain. She said that while big promises were made, not a single politician sat with the vendors who were sitting on dharna day and night in the cold. She said that some leaders only gathered crowds to gain political advantage and then quietly left. Such people should learn a lesson from this incident.Ramkishan Rai, the president of the street vendors, appreciated the efforts of the Municipal Chairperson and said that the protest, which had been going on for 13 days, has been called off after her assurance. He informed that all street vendors would be given an opportunity to present their views in the upcoming Town Vending Committee meeting. He said that there would be a concrete discussion before the committee regarding the arrangement for the eligible vendors.Rahi said that the Municipal Chairperson has assured that the places where the street vendors will be relocated will be areas frequented by tourists, so that their livelihood is not affected. He reiterated that no kind of politics will be tolerated on the issue of street vendors.The tireless efforts of Cabinet Minister Ganesh Joshi are also considered significant in ending the protest. His cooperation and coordination made dialogue possible between the administration and the street vendors.Throughout the entire incident, the sensitive, communicative, and rule-abiding leadership of Municipal Chairperson Meera Saklani came to the fore. She not only won the trust of the vendors by visiting the protest site but also found a solution while maintaining the order and beauty of the city. With the end of the protest, the street vendors now have hope that they will get a permanent and respectable livelihood opportunity, and this step will also prove crucial in maintaining Mussoorie as an organised and beautiful tourist city.
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