Mumbai: Bombay HC recently frowned at the state govt after noticing that only nine grievance redressal committees for hawkers were set up within the three-month deadline set by the urban development department (UDD) for civic bodies, which ended on July 30.“We did not ask the state govt to do some favour,” said Justices Bharati Dangre and Manjusha Deshpande on July 27, adding that Street Vendors Act contemplates the constitution of grievance committees.HC was hearing petitions by hawkers from Navi Mumbai. The UDD on April 28 issued a GR directing municipal commissioners/collectors to constitute such committees within three months. As a chart showed only nine committees were constituted, the judges said the figure “reflects as to how seriously the officers” take the UDD’s directions. They were “surprised” that the state is finding it difficult to appoint members when the rules prescribed qualifications for members. Granting 30 more days, they left it to the UDD to take “appropriate steps against those who failed to ensure compliance of the directives”.
