Shiv Sena-run BMC to provide licences to fish vendors

The Shiv Sena has decided to provide licences to fish vendors, who sell fish in gaothans and koliwadas. The Shiv

Sena-ruled Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is planning to include fishermen in the proposed Hawkers’ Policy for providing licences to them. According to civic officials, while the Koli community, which is considered as original inhabitants of the city, is provided licences in municipal markets, fishermen are forced to sell fish on roads where markets are not available.

City fishermen had extended their support to Shiv Sena in the state Assembly polls held two years ago. The Sena leadership had also promised to look into their demand of licence for street fish vendors.

However, the demand of providing municipal licences to street fish vendors was made by BJP corporator and MLA Manisha Chaudhary. “These fishermen and women have no access to water, electricity, toilets, among others. Hence there is a need to provide municipal licenses to such vendors, who sell on the roads,” she said. The BMC markets department has said that such fish vendors would be accommodated in the hawkers’ policy. “We have received remarks from the licence department about providing licences to fish vendors, who do sell fish in gaothans and koliwadas. Accordingly, they will be treated as hawkers,” said a senior official from the markets department.

Damodar Tandel, president of Akhil Bhartiya Koli Vikas Parishad (ABKVP), has welcomed the BMC’s decision to provide licenses to street fish vendors. “We have been making this demand for the last several years,” he said.