By a Staff Reporter
With BMC unclear on the status of the stalls, these refugees continue to suffer heavy losses.
Winter has almost arrived and so have the problems of Tibetan refugees within the city. Every year, a group of about 300 would Tibetans come to Mumbai and set up their stalls in various parts of the city.
And just like every year, this year too they have set up their stalls in areas like Fort, Parel, Grant Road and far flung suburbs. These Tibetan refugees, who have been in business for more than 40 years, were earlier sanctioned licenses by the BMC. However, these stalls, which are now being set are considered “illegal encroachments”, after the BMC has stopped issuing the permit licenses to them.
“Selling winter care clothes is a seasonal business and our only means of earning our livelihood. Hence, we have requested BMC authorities to grant us the permission to set up our 70 stalls temporarily from the months of November to December at Walchand Hirachand Marg, opposite GPO,” said Nambak Dorjee, In-charge of the Tibetan Refugee Stall Owners Group.
“Although we have not received the permission in writing, BMC officials have given us a verbal approval to set up the stalls,” he continued.
Claiming that every year they earn substantial business by mid-October, Dorjee said, “At times we have to pay fine for illegally putting up the stalls. Sometimes, towing vehicles drag the stalls away with the woollen clothes, which has left us in losses this time.”
Tsering, a stall owner at the CST said, “Till 2003, we were granted permission by the Central Government and licenses by the Licensing Department to set up temporary stalls during the winter, in various parts of the country. But after the 2003 Supreme Court ruling regarding the restrictions on the hawking zones, we have been facing severe problems. Moreover due to the ongoing cleanliness drive in the city, we are forced to put up the stalls only in the evening.”
Despite the Tibetans not being issued any license to hawk their wares, no directive has been issued either to have them removed. When contacted, V. M. Balamwar, Assistant Commissioner, A Ward said, “If that was true, then the Licensing Department would have to direct us to remove them. But so far, we haven’t received any such order.”
