Milk Vendor Exposed Lending Illegal Electricity To Hawkers!
Home Times has been repeatedly publishing about the hawkers’ menace and how they are proving a major hurdle in solving the traffic jam issues of Mulund. Besides, the hawkers have hijacked the footpaths of Mulund and the pedestrians have no place to walk. Though the BMC anti-encroachment drive is trying its best to solve the issue, the snail’s speed work of the Town Vending Committee (TVC) is posing obstacles in making hawking legalised in Mulund. Meanwhile, hawkers are forced to do illegal business and, to support these hawkers, are some greedy shopkeepers who are lending illegal electricity to these hawkers, thus boosting their morale to carry on business!!
In Mulund, one such shopkeeper, a milk booth vendor has been exposed of illegally supplying electricity to nearby hawkers!! This milk booth vendor is located behind Lala Tulsiram Udyan, on D.C. Das Marg in Mulund West. According to reports, this vendor does the business of selling milk from 4 a.m. till 10 p.m. Besides milk, he sells many items related to milk. In addition, the shopkeeper has also secretly started another business of supplying illegal electricity to other hawkers!!
Due to the theft of the electricity, the residents living in the vicinity are suffering as the voltage is affected due to the supply of electricity to multiple customers. Aggravated by the illegal theft of electricity, a resident said, “The hawkers are a menace and should be removed from the roads but, alas, the BMC anti-encroachment drive is just an eye-wash. Hence, these hawkers are thriving in Mulund.” He added, “To add insult to injury, shopkeepers are providing illegal electricity to hawkers! If the hawkers get electricity and other necessary facilities, then why would hawkers leave Mulund?”
When Home Times asked the concerned MSEDCL officer (of that area) about the illegal supply of electricity to the hawkers, he said that he has taken note of the problem and shall take soon action.
Is there a nexus between milk booth vendors and hawkers?
It may be noted that the Maharashtra Government Mumbai Corporation Milk Yojana had set up milk booths across the state to supply milk to people. These milk booths were essentially provided to those who were physically disabled and the deprived sections of society to make a decent living. Licences and small (10’x10′) wooden cabins were provided by the state government to sell milk.
In Mulund, several milk booths can be spotted where, along with milk, vendors are also selling many other edible things like bread, eggs, etc. However, the exposé of a milk booth vendor illegal lending electricity to hawkers has put a question mark on the honesty of milk booth vendors!!!
