Civic body faces court ire over illegal hawkers

After coming down hard on the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for supplying contaminated water to a building at Worli, the Bombay high court has now taken it to task for its ineffectiveness in dealing with unauthorised hawkers. Urvi Mahajani reports.

After coming down hard on the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for supplying contaminated water to a building at Worli, the Bombay high court has now taken it to task for its ineffectiveness in dealing with unauthorised hawkers.

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“Ask your [staff] to go to other states and find out what they have done [to prevent illegal hawking],” said Justice Majmudar, who was part of the division bench hearing the case. Justice Amjad Sayed was the other judge.

The court was hearing a petition filed by Vile Parle Kelawani Mandal (VPKM), which runs around 40 educational institutions such as Narsee Monjee College. VPKM wanted the BMC to take action against illegal hawkers outside its institutions.

Komal Punjabi, BMC’s advocate, said they regularly take action against unauthorised hawkers, but they always return. “Since May 2010, we have taken mass action at least 30 times.”

An angry Justice Majumdar retorted: “Such a defence should not come from the BMC; it shows helplessness…”