With major festivals like Dashain and Tihar approaching when business is brisk, street vendors have asked the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) to provide them some leeway to peddle goods on the streets till the festivals.

Ever since KMC resumed its campaign to take action against street vendors on April 15, the authority has been taking action against around 50 street vendors on an average daily. Street vendors are fined and the fine increases with each subsequent arrest. 

“We are already suffering due to the crackdown. But Nepal´s biggest festivals are approaching during which business is brisk. So, we request the authority for leniency in view of the festivals,” said Maya Gurung, general secretary of the Self-employed Trade Workers Association. 

She said though the government had promised to relocate them by allocating certain area, the relocation process has not made any progress. On May 7, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) had formed a new taskforce, which also comprised representatives of street vendors, to identify new places for relocating them.

However, the taskforce has not been able to come up with its recommendation. And as the ministry officials are busy visiting flood and landslide affected areas and distributing relief, the relocation process has been relegated to the backburner.

Currently, KMC has been allowing street vendors to do business after 7 pm in the capital. “It will be such a relief if the authority allows us to do business after 5 pm till the festivals,” said she.  Meanwhile, KMC officials have said they will not tolerate illegal hawking under no circumstances. 

Citing the SAARC summit, which is scheduled for November, KMC has instead stepped up legal action against street vendors since the past one month.

Published on: 27 August 2014 | Republica