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Kandy hawkers evicted

26 April 2010 07:44 am - 34     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Hundreds of pavement hawkers with unauthorized structures in the Kandy town were forcefully evicted by the army and police this morning, sources said.

The eviction programme carried out by the military personnel begun early this morning. The hawkers who had their structures destroyed told Daily Mirror online that they did not fight back and were now seated on the pavement as a mark of protest.

“We do not have the strength to fight against the military and police but we will sit here today to show our protest. It is unfair to ruin our businesses this way. We have been functioning here for years,” hawker, Saman Anura Perera said.

Acting Mayor of Kandy Suminda Wickramasingha had told Daily Mirror online last week that the hawkers would be given an alternative area to run their businesses and the eviction programme was carried out in order to clean up the Kandy city and make room for pedestrians to walk peacefully on the pavements.

A discussion is expected to take place between the Kandy Municipal Council members and the pavement hawkers on April 28 in a bid to solve the issue peacefully. (JN)




 


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  Comments - 34

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  • Tuesday, 27 April 2010 12:55 AM

    Why don't you do this in Jaffna too? Highlight the trauma faced by Jaffna and Point Pedro residents due to the influx of pavement hawkers?
    The cities really looks ugly!

    Monday, 26 April 2010 02:08 PM

    Welldone this is the right step to be taken. we as Kandy city peoples know how difficult it is to cross over here and there or to walk through the payments... well done

    Monday, 26 April 2010 03:25 PM

    Not everyone is lucky like the Mayor, before removing the hawkers by force, our leaders would have given a place for them to run their business. How are they going to feed their families today?... Give them a place to run the business immediately to support them,

    Monday, 26 April 2010 03:51 PM

    Just punish the poor?! That is the new strategy ? How about those who are brazenly breaking the law AND hurting others in the process for personal gain??

    Monday, 26 April 2010 04:59 PM

    Hey guys........
    the srilanka;s best city KURUNEGALA.....without street hawkers..we lead others follow....

    Monday, 26 April 2010 07:08 PM

    Did you know that most of these fellows have shops in the Torrington Shopping Complex, which they rent-out to others, and do their business on the pavement? They are a hindrance to the pedestrians; harass women; and, by chance, if you step on their goods, you could hear some "pure" Sinhala words!

    Monday, 26 April 2010 09:56 PM

    The pavements are for the pedestrians and not for shops. We need to beautify our cities if we are to attract more tourists to the country. Take a look at Malaysia and Singapore.

    Monday, 26 April 2010 11:39 PM

    Shops on pavements would never be allowed in most other countries. It's not civil behaviour to block pavements and it makes the city look ugly.

    Monday, 26 April 2010 11:43 PM

    these works are not related to any politics. the pavements are made for pedestrians. If any one trying to pin this to politics they must really be frogs in the well. come on guys
    we need to move forward in life.

    Monday, 26 April 2010 11:37 AM

    finally people in kandy can walk peacefully,but hope some sort of settlement will be done for the poor hawkers.

    Tuesday, 27 April 2010 01:38 AM

    Thank you Mr. Mayor. A job well done sir.

    Tuesday, 27 April 2010 04:52 AM

    Great work..!!! this pavement business spoils the city immage
    and also its completely blocking pedestrians aisles... this should stop forever Thank you MC..

    Tuesday, 27 April 2010 09:08 AM

    @ romanisa: DO you realise how many times alternatives have been provided for these pavement hawkers? Do you understand the purpose of building the Torrington market? The government does not need to waste tax payers money on these issues. Focus on something productive rather than seeking alternatives. Providing alternatives will always provoke others to sort to pavement hawking again with the objective of seeking alternative solution! Absurd! Just ignore and use our tax money more productively to benefit the entire nation.

    Tuesday, 27 April 2010 09:11 AM

    @Shehan19: Please do not bring politics again. Appreciate the good work if you think you cannot do it.

    Tuesday, 27 April 2010 09:13 AM

    Well said!! The problem is that many Sri Lankans in the administrative capacity have not gone on holidays to see the beauty of these countries.

    Tuesday, 27 April 2010 10:09 AM

    Colombo pavement shops around the Central Bus stand were removed but along the road that leads to the Fort it remains due to the magnanimity of politics So in and around the city- Maradana, Borella and Town Hall area, so on, who is the magnet, I don't know!.

    Tuesday, 27 April 2010 10:20 AM

    Great Decision. Should follow up all over the Island to irradicate payment mafia & a good thing to look after the passangers.

    Monday, 26 April 2010 08:37 AM

    I think the mayor has crossed over to UPFA.

    Monday, 26 April 2010 08:00 AM

    Hope authorities in Colombo will follow Kandy.

    Monday, 26 April 2010 08:01 AM

    Kandy municipal council is controlled by United National Party, I think..................?

    Monday, 26 April 2010 08:04 AM

    THis is a direct result internal clash between UPFA MP's. Although hawkers are a menace, they are present through out the country (in Clombo especially). If these poor souls support the right quarters, the law is not enforced. Otherwise, they are thrown out.... How unfortunate?

    Monday, 26 April 2010 08:05 AM

    Excellent job done Mr. Mayor.. hat's off to you. But don't ever forget to think in the point of those poor hawkers view too. Even though they were a nuisance to the public, they too were trying hard to earn the daily bread and butter to their loved ones. So please provide a good alternative to them immediately.

    Monday, 26 April 2010 08:05 AM

    Thanks good work.

    Why could not the other Municipal councils follow the same.
    Some time back Mangala did a good job in Colombo.

    For this kind of things politicians should have a good backbone and they should not only think about the vote from these trouble makers.

    Monday, 26 April 2010 08:08 AM

    I agree these pavement hawkers have to make a living but not at the expense of the legitimate businesses and the environment. Most other districts have a designated 'Pola' day for these hawkers and they are well patronised with no damage to anybody.

    Monday, 26 April 2010 08:29 AM

    Great Job who ever did it, this is what we like to see in COLOMBO also, specially PITA KOTUWA, these street shoppers will damage the country image as well they make our city very ditry, I request Defence Secretary to step forwards start to clean our COLOMBO, like he did the war.

    Monday, 26 April 2010 08:30 AM

    In the first place they should not have been allowed do hawking in the pavements from the beginning. After allowing them to do business for a long time, (with the support of politicians) now they are to be removed. Why was this not done before elections? Or is this a move to give places to some henchmen of the ruling party, changing the previous henchmen hawkers of the UNP regime? The present Deputy Mayor is a crossover from UNP to PA.

    Monday, 26 April 2010 07:52 AM

    Great Work Mr. Mayor. We are with you.. These hawkers were a nuisance to the public all this time. thank you.. we have a Mayor with a backbone now.

    Monday, 26 April 2010 08:41 AM

    Hats off to acting Mayor. Good work sir. The footpath belongs to the pedestrians and not for street hawkers.

    Monday, 26 April 2010 08:41 AM

    This is a good work for the convenience of pedestrians but what about the livelihood of hundreds of families? Are we inviting them to be criminals or prostitutes? Remember these payment hawkers are from poor families and earning money day to day. Holistic approach is necessary rather than using the muscle strength to solves such kind of issues.

    Monday, 26 April 2010 08:47 AM

    poor people do not have the right to inconvenience tax payers by invading pavements built using tax payers money. Good work govt and hope to see a repeat in Colombo soon!!!

    Monday, 26 April 2010 09:00 AM

    Great Great Great Work Mr. Mayor. We are with you.. These hawkers were a nuisance to the public all this time. thank you.. we have a Mayor with a backbone now. ok now we want the same thing in Colombo too

    Monday, 26 April 2010 09:24 AM

    what the hell are you talking.. have you been to the Kandy town recently. there is virtually no place in the pavements to go. these street hawkers are not innocent people as you think these are goons. There are ways to earn a living legally in this country. Being poor doesn't give you a license to come to streets and inconvenience other innocent people. It's the governments job to uplift the living standards of all the citizens in this country

    Monday, 26 April 2010 09:56 AM

    Thats the Kandy attitude.

    we lead others follow

    Monday, 26 April 2010 10:29 AM

    Well said GK , being poor is not a license to break the law. Ideally this could be sorted out by providing them a place to sell. Agree that there is no space at all in the pavements of Kandy .

    Wish the government could do the same in Pettah as well.


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