More Pavement Hawkers evicted in Colombo

NEWS on the STREET VENDORS
in COLOMBO

Over the past months the street hawkers of Colombo have had their livelihoods threats by the Colombo City planners attempts to cleanse the city streets of the informal sector.

After a series of protests and consultations SEVANATHA reports ....

The people who faced for the eviction have received an alternative place for hawking within the same area.

But, the government has lots of ideas to re-plan and develop most of city centers and this will have serious impacts on the poor and informal sellers unless it is planned carefully. 

SEVANATHA is now consulting with hawkers committees in the city on how to prepare for the changes. At present the situation is calm. There are no laws or regulations protecting the pavement hawkers.  City planners and professionals keep to the out-dated western concept that pavements are to clear and clean for pedestrians whereas in the west and many Asian cities planners have released the benefits of providing space for pavement sellers and maintaining a lively inner city culture. 

165 Urban Poor Houses Bulldozed for a playground

Another 165 houses of poor families living in a low income settlements named Oliwala Watta were bulldozed by the Wattala Urban Council on 19th July 2002. This is one of the city’s poorest community close to North/East boundary of Colombo. The settlement was developed on municipal land by the poor people who migrated to the city for looking some jobs. In 1999, under the former government, one of the Ministers of the area gave a verbal commitment to regularize the land and with this security, people improved their houses and basic infrastructure.

But, the new government has prepared a development plan to the city without any consultation with the citizens and the area was demarcated as a play ground. The people received a notice during end of last year from the urban council informing to remove from their houses within a week. The people negotiate this matter with the Chairman of the urban council and came to a final decision to live here. But, suddenly, the houses were bulldozed by the urban council with support from police department on 19th July. People said that they did not received any kind of notice regarding the eviction and officials of the council destroyed their houses when they were out from the houses for their daily works. Now, most of people live in temporary huts in front of the site. The people have already written number of letters to relevant institutions for requesting their support to find a reasonable solution. But, still not succeeded.

n     There are 8,,000 to  10,000 street vendors are in the city of Colombo

n      Most of the vendors are located around the formal city centers

n      Most  are from the urban poor settlements

n      Different kinds of vendors can be seen in Colombo (permanent vendors, mobile vendors and seasonal vendors etc)

n      It is a source of employment for whole families

n      Women and children play  active roles

SEVANATHA Web site
is HERE

 

 

 

SEVANATHA

14, School Lane, Nawala,
Rajagiriya, SRI LANKA
Tel / Fax (94-1) 878-893

E-mail
sevanata@sri.lanka.net

 

Challenges for the Street Vendors

n     The attitude of Political and Planning Professional’s  towards “No More Street Vendors, Keep Streets Clean and Beauty for Pedestrian walk”

n     Lack of recognition by the formal sector

n     In security for their livelihood

n     Lack of access for credit

n    Supportive services not given priority (E.g. Public Transport)

Past Efforts

n     Organizing, Networking and Empowering (Street vendors association)

n     Ensure security (Providing ID card by CMC, Paying tax to municipality, Provide alternative places if relocate, Demarcate special area for street vendors in city plans etc.)

n     Create opportunities for sustainable income generation activity (Introducing Women Savings Bank and Day Bank System)

Urban Poor in Colombo

n     50% of city’s population live in around 1614 urban poor settlements in the city

n     Most of their settlements located in marginal lands (along the canal reservation, road reservation, railway reservation and low-lying marshy areas etc)

n     Mostly engage in informal sector activities and blue collar jobs

Priority Issues of Urban Poor

n      Lack of land tenure, 63% of urban poor do not have legal title

n      Lack of basic services, 56% of urban poor using the common water with limited access, 63% of them use shared toilet, 63% of poor families do not have access for waste collection etc

n      Insecure income, 88% of poor families do not have permanent source of income

n      Lack of access to credit

n      Lack of recognition by the formal sector

n      Social issues, drug addicts, alcoholism, high unemployment rate among the youth, raising crime and child labor etc.