COVID-19 lockdown: Street vendors question Karnataka govt over relaxation to IT sector, demand justice

The federation of street vendors associations in Bengaluru has questioned the government's move to give relaxation to the IT and IT-enabled service sectors from the lockdown while maintaining the restrictions on street vendors.

The state government gave relaxation to a host of sectors that comes into effect from Thursday. Though cart selling food, groceries, and dairy have been allowed, the street vendors have not been included in the list.

The federation said 90% of the street vendors have not been able to carry out their sole means of earning. Only some street vendors have been allowed to sell fruits and vegetables but these numbers are few.

As they do not have an employer from whom they can demand wages, it said all vendors should be allowed with social distancing.

"If we do not sell our wares, we cannot sustain our families. There is no one who will pay us if we cannot carry out our vending," S Babu, president of Bengaluru Jilla Beedi Vyapari Sanghatanegala Okkuta said.

Most of the vendors stay in rented houses and have not income to pay for rent, electricity and water. "Like other ration card holders, street vendors get only rice in the public distribution system. With no income, they find it difficult to purchase dal," it said.

The federation said all street vendors should get Rs 25,000 assistance and dry ration kits that will last till end of May. The BBMP was providing assistance to only those vendors with identity cards and said efforts must be made to pass this benefit to all existing vendors.

It demanded that vendors should be involved on a regular basis in community kitchens set up to serve migrant workers. It also urged the BJP to restart the move to set up markets in open spaces and allow street vendors to register for door-to-door delivery of essentials. "We ask the government to help street vendors and farmers coordinate so that we have items to sell and farmers don't face a crisis.