JNAC favouring builders, oppressing poor people: Appu Tiwary

Street vendors stage protest before JNAC office, seek relief

Jamshedpur: Vendors and roadside traders put up a demonstration before the office of Jamshedpur Notified Area Committee (JNAC) on Wednesday to protest alleged harassment by traffic police.

Leading the protestors, AJSU leader Appu Tiwary alleged that the district traffic police and the JNAC officials only favoured builders and influential people. When it comes to poor people, the officials deal with them with a heavy hand, said Tiwary.

Tiwary said the traffic police had removed many poor roadside vendors and cart owners who have to work hard for a day�s living. As a result of the harsh action by the traffic police and the JNAC authorities, the vendors and cart owners have become helpless.

�It is a hand to mouth situation for almost all the vendors and card owners who sell their wares during the daytime despite many odds to look after their families. But the police and JNAC officials keep removing them in the name of removing encroachment from the streets. But the same authorities turn a blind eye to the encroachment of land by builders and other wealthy persons through deviation in building plan. This is gross injustice and it should be cured at once,� said Tiwary.

The protestors handed over a memorandum to the JNAC City Manager Ranjan Pandey seeking implementation of the Street Vendors Act 2014 to protect the rights of all vendors.

Among those present during the agitation included Ramlakhan Sahu, Pannalal, Ashok, Shiv Chandra, Birendra, Adhiraj, Shaligram and Chandra Pratap.