West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has assured that there will be no hawker eviction drive by the state administration until Durga Puja, which is scheduled in October this year. The assurance was given during a meeting with Asit Saha, the state president of the Hawkers’ Joint Action Committee, at the state secretariat, Nabanna.
Saha mentioned that the Chief Minister’s assurance has put an end to the fear of evictions among hawkers across the state. Adhikari assured that there will be no hawker eviction on humanitarian grounds until Durga Puja this year. Additionally, he pledged to address the issue of hawkers operating at railway stations or on railway-owned land.
A crucial meeting between the hawkers’ organization and the Secretary of the State Municipal Affairs Department is scheduled for next week to discuss hawker rehabilitation issues and future policies. The meeting will focus on topics such as hawker identity cards and the continuity of their businesses. The Chief Minister’s commitment to refrain from eviction drives until October has brought relief to numerous hawkers and their families in the state.
The recent government actions led by Adhikari had previously involved eviction drives affecting hawkers at railway stations and issuing notices in some markets. These actions had caused significant challenges for hawkers, leading to demands for rehabilitation. The state government’s latest announcement of no eviction drive until Durga Puja is seen as a significant relief for the hawker community.
