The Himachal Pradesh government has made it compulsory that all shopkeepers and street vendors, especially those who sell food items, must display their identity cards. This decision was made by Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh on Wednesday, similar to the measures taken in Uttar Pradesh to guarantee food sanitation and to respond to the local population’s concerns regarding the increasing number of migrants in the state.
In his speech at the joint session of the Urban Development and Municipal Corporation, Singh urged vendors to be more accountable to the public. He said, “For every street vendor to be allowed to sell food, he or she must produce the ID card from the street vendor’s committee." This initiative is intended to improve citizens’ confidence in food safety measures.
The action was taken after some Hindu groups in Himachal Pradesh protested against the outside workers and demanded the new rules of vendor licenses for only the locals. These protests were partly due to the conflict over the demolition of structures in a mosque in Sanjauli. In light of these concerns voiced by the community, a seven-member committee has been proposed to work on the policy on street vending.
The new regulations will entail not only the posting of vendor IDs but also checks by the food supplies department as often as necessary to ensure compliance with this aspect of hygiene. This is in line with recent guidelines from Uttar Pradesh that food businesses must provide operator information and strictly follow health standards.
When this policy is being implemented, it mirrors other social concerns with regard to immigration and security, as observed in other parts of India. The government’s goal is to balance the local economy with effective hygiene measures for the population.
