Kochi Corporation’s list of street vendors to be trimmed

The list of Kochi’s street vendors will be trimmed shortly.

The Kerala High Court has asked the Kochi Corporation to remove the names of persons who have failed to claim the street vending licence and photo identity cards from the civic body.

Issuing an order in this regard, Justice A.K. Jayasankaran Nambiar directed the civic body to publish the list of persons within a week. The list shall remain published for a month to enable those persons to approach the Corporation with the necessary documents, the court ordered.

It was following a report from the Amicus Curiae that the High Court issued the order. The Amicus Curiae had reported that only 2,775 persons had submitted their documents to claim their certificates of vending and photo identity cards. The civic body had earlier drawn up a list of 3,520 persons who were identified as entitled for certificates of vending and issuance of photo identity cards.

The Amicus Curiae reported that the remaining 745 persons had neither responded to the notices issued by the Corporation nor submitted the necessary documents until June 10.

The civic body had identified several street vending zones in the city where the licensed vendors could carry out their business. While permitting vending on the streets, the licensed traders will not be allowed to set up permanent shops. The vending units, which shall be opened during the morning hours, will have to be closed by evening, it was instructed. The civic body has been facilitating street vending under the Central legislation of Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act.