PONDA: The Goa Human Rights Commission (GHRC) dismissed a case against the Ponda Municipal Council (PMC) regarding the removal of street vendors from private property.
The Commission found that the PMC offered them space in the regulated municipal market to conduct their business and concluded that there was no human rights violation.
In his complaint in 2022, a resident had alleged that the PMC forcibly evicted street vendors, causing harassment and human rights violations.
However, the PMC stated that it had issued notices to a family under the Goa Municipalities Act, to stop illegal market practices on their private property.
The Ponda Market Vendors association supported PMC’s actions, stating that the complaint aimed to help illegal vendors on private property.
The Urban Development Department, PMC Chief Officer and Amchi Vyapari Sanghatana (AVS), an association of Ponda market vendors at Ponda Municipal Market were the three respondents in the case.
AVS president Gharu Sawant welcomed the GHRC’s decision.