KOCHI: Kochi Corporation is inching closer towards implementing the Street Vendors Act, 2014. The civic body has published its final list of 2,353 street vendors. “The only thing remaining is publishing the identified vending zones and vending plan under the gazette notification. Licences and passes have been issued to genuine vendors. The vending bylaw has been approved by the council and the vending committee has been reconstituted,” said mayor M Anilkumar.
Initially, the corporation had to examine the applications, as most of them were found to be not genuine. “We have been carefully inspecting the applications, and deserving vendors were issued licences,” said an official with the corporation.
Meanwhile, representatives of Barsaat Vocal for Local on Wednesday submitted a letter to Anilkumar and amicus curiae appointed by the Kerala High Court to scrutinise vendors who are not eligible for licences.
“Per the survey conducted by the corporation, 2,350 vendors have been issued licences.
This includes those who have more than one street-vending shop,” alleged C V Sajani, chairperson of Barsaat Vocal for Local. “There are around 1,400 genuine vendors who have been denied licences. We have urged the mayor to scrutinise the final list to identify illegal and non-deserving vendors,” she said.