The government should be ready to clip the wings of the street trade ‘mafia,’ Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi (KVVES) State patron Kamalalayam Suku has said.
He was speaking after inaugurating the KVVES Thiruvananthapuram district secretariat meeting here on Sunday.
Mr. Suku said that during Onam, migrant workers were hired to bring low-quality merchandise from other States and conduct illegal street trade here. Steps should be taken to prevent takeover of the streets by such trade, he said.
In his keynote address, KVVES State president S.S. Manoj who is also Confederation of All India Traders national secretary said a huge mafia became active during festive occasions. It brought low-quality goods by evading tax, and in violation of rules for trade and street vending. However, the failure of the government machinery to curb such trade was a huge blow to traders in the State. The government policy of providing them identity cards to give them protection equal to recognised trade or more than that should be corrected.
Mr. Manoj alleged that traders in the State did their business subject to many unscientific and strange restrictions. That there has been no policy from the government to protect such traders increased the challenges faced by them, Mr. Manoj said.
KVVES district unit president Aryasala Suresh presided.
