Meghalaya: Eviction of Non-Tribal Hawkers Begins in Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council

Shillong, November 2, 2019:

The enforcement personnel of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) in Meghalaya have been carrying out eviction drives against the 'non-tribal' hawkers selling their wares on the streets.

The situation has turned grim on the streets, with some of the hawkers raising cries and slogans, denouncing the act. Meanwhile, some locals claim that they have been unlawfully evicted, despite being tribals.

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A source told Inside Northeast that this has been going on for the past three days. "This is an ongoing process, so it is hard to determine how many people do not have the requisite documents and are being evicted."

Despite facing some resistance, the KHADC Executive Member in-charge of Trade Paul Lyngdoh has termed the eviction drive a "success".

It may be mentioned here that the hawkers are being evicted under the Trading By Non-Tribal Regulation Act, 1954 and the rules framed there under in 1959, and subsequently amended in 2019.

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Earlier, the Executive Committee of the KHADC had informed that the United Khasi-Jaintia Hills District (Trading by non-tribals) Regulation, 1954, as amended and and the Rules framed there under prohibit non-tribals from carrying out any trade or business without a valid licence from the KHADC. If anybody is found violating the new rule, they shall have to report to the Trade Department.

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