Vendors struggle hard to buy joy in Dashain

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, September 18

The street vendors would be relieved from the hassles caused by the city police at least during the Dashain festival for selling goods on the streets. Despite against the traffic rules, it is a consideration for the ordinary people to earn happiness in the greatest festival of the Hindus.

"I have sighed relief at least during the Dashain as we are allowed to sell the goods on the streets for earning something to buy happiness in my family," said Leela Shrestha, 44, from Chainpur VDC-8 in Dhading district. "In other days, we were terribly troubled while selling goods on the streets," Shrestha said.

Shrestha spouse along with two sisters and three daughters have been living in a rented room in Kathmandu for more than a decade. They have maintained their livelihood and mediocre life in the expensive capital city by selling ready-made clothes on streets. They have been able to educate their children in the city from the toiling labours.

Shrestha couple said that the city police used to snatch away their clothes when they used to sell the items on the streets around Sundhara in other days. "We earn some Rs 300-400 each day," they echoed. "The consumers bargain very tightly even though we are selling the items at low price."

Consumer Ramila Devkota, who was shopping for her kids, said that the clothes sold in the streets were definitely cheaper than in the commercial houses. "However, we are accustomed to bargain tightly," she said laughing.

Another vendor Meghnath Siwakoti from Sunkhani VDC in Dolakha district has been continuing this profession for about eight years. "It is hard to celebrate the festival due to the skyrocketing price in the market," he said.

"This time, the sale is very low perhaps because of economic meltdown," said Siwakoti. "In the previous years, we used to make sale of upto Rs 5,000. However, I have hardly earned Rs 500 per day this year," he grieved.

Siwakoti, who is also the member of the Joint Business Association of National Trade, expressed qualm over the people in power doing whatever they like but only ordinary people were forced to abide by the law.

This time, the Kathmandu Metropolitan City has allowed the vendors, who number in hundreds of such sellers, to make though little money by bargaining with the tightfisted consumers. The KMC has made a routine from 1pm to 8pm to sell the goods on the streets effective from September 13 to 27. They will be permitted from 11am from September 19, which is the Ghatasthapana (First day of the festival).

"We provided them this special opportunity during the festival after the different organisations belonging to trade and business communities asked us for consideration," said DSP Dhanapati Sapkota, chief of the Implementation Division under the KMC. "We have also specially made arrangement of two places-Baghbazaar and Balkhu for selling goats. However, there is no restriction for other vendors," he added.