Ahead of meeting with civic chief, hawkers’ union threaten stir

PUNE Despite protests from hawkers in the city against ongoing anti-encroachment drives, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), on Wednesday, said that the drives would continue

PUNE Despite protests from hawkers in the city against ongoing anti-encroachment drives, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), on Wednesday, said that the drives would continue.

HT Image

“Tomorrow (Thursday) we have a meeting with Vikram Kumar, civic chief, to decide on the demands of hawkers’ unions. However, action will continue on illegal structures in the city,” said Madhav Jagtap, head of the anti-encroachment department.

The union has claimed that civic officials are taking unnecessary action and also halting renewal of hawkers’ permits.

“The anti-encroachment department is taking unnecessary action after they are being pressured by local corporators. The action taken by officials on Singhad road and at Balaji nagar was taken due to pressure from corporators. Common people did not have any problem with the hawkers,” said Balasaheb More, general secretary, Pathari Vyavasayik Panchayat, a hawkers’ union.

“Many illegal structures have come up in the last one year. People took advantage of Covid-19 to build temporary structures,” said Jagtap.

“If our demands are not met at the meeting then there is a chance we will again protest in front of the PMC office. In the last two years we have suffered a lot due to Covid-19, and due to action by the PMC we have been facing more problems,” said More.