Making inroads to sell their wares
Facing loss of income due to COVID those who turned to selling produce from vehicles parked on roadsides now face eviction by authorities
Having lost their jobs due to the prevailing COVID situation, many who have sought an alternative income by selling lunch packets and other produce on roadsides are facing another hurdle; a crackdown by the authorities.
Police and other authorities this week have started removing vendors, who were selling items from vehicles parked on the side of roads.
Sheine Abeysekara ( 39) from Borella, who lost his job when the hotel he worked at was closed, said he initially started by selling around 10 packets of lunch on a daily basis and it had picked up to 100 packs a day.
“It was a good move as I was able to find a reasonable amount of money. However, if we are being asked to evacuate we request the government to find a remedy. We are not bothering the government by asking for jobs. If a solution cannot be found let us continue doing this," he said.
Manjula Amarathunga (40), a resident of Horana said said she had used up her cash in hand the last few months. "We have no income to pay for the lease of our vehicles. So I plucked Rambutan from the area and started selling them. However, the police and RDA officials have told us to vacate from the area we are selling these items.
“This is a time when people expect leniency and sympathy from governments," she added.
Gayani Wedage (28) a resident of Piliyandala and an unemployed graduate said that her husband who used to hire his vehicle has no income now. So they sell produce from their vehicle parked on the radside. However she said the police as well as officials from a nearby Agrarian services centre have asked them to evacuate the spot.
Western Province Senior DIG Deshabandu Tennakoon said parking vehicles on pavements is prohibitted under the traffic law.
“Sellers who sell goods in vehicles either blocking traffic and pavements would be towed away," he said.
“We have informed police stations to remove vehicles that were parked along roads in main cities resulting in traffic congestion on roads. The pavements are meant for pedestrians."
He said the public was free to engage in their own trade as long as it was not an inconvenience to the public or created any traffic blocks. "In a situation like this, we are not inhumane to interfere in their livelihood," he said.
Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte Municipal Council Deputy Mayor Premalal Athukorala said, they want to inspect the quality of the food that is being sold in accordance with the prevailing health guidelines due to COVID, while trying to find some suitable locations for the people to carry on with their business.