Street Vendors Upset for Being Left Out of Flood Aid

Vijayawada:Street vendors who suffered big due to Budameru floods complained that their business losses in Vijayawada city were not assessed by the survey team.

After the floodwaters receded in affected areas, the state government began an enumeration process to assess the losses incurred by households and commercial establishments.

However, street vendors in the flood-affected areas claim the government ignored them as the enumerators did not assess the losses to their businesses caused by the floods.

“When I reported my losses to the survey team, they replied that only commercial establishments operating in a building with a proper door or house number would be considered, not ours (street vendors),” said Rama Rao, who runs a standalone tender coconut stall on Nunna Road.

Rama Rao says he suffered a loss of Rs 36,000 as his 2,000 tender coconuts he procured from Ravulapalem, were washed away in the floods when floodwater engulfed the area.

Sasi, another street vendor, echoed a similar problem. “Around Rs 4,000 worth of fruits (papaya), a pushcart, and Rs 1,600 umbrella were washed away in the floods. Though the amount of damage is less, the enumeration teams did not record his losses,” he said.

Following the extensive damage caused by the devastating floods in Vijayawada, the state government announced Rs 25,000 as financial assistance to stationary kirana shops and eateries.

When Deccan Chronicle contacted NTR district collector Dr G. Srijana, she said, “The enumeration teams have collected the details of losses incurred by 1,200 pushcart owners from the flood-affected areas.”

Srijana said street vendors and pushcart owners must either be registered with the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) or have a trade and labor license, GST registration, non-residential property tax assessment, or a current electricity bill for the enumeration teams to enter their details into the database.

“We are asking commercial establishments and pushcart owners to produce one of the above-mentioned documents to ensure that no individuals from outside claim the benefits,” the collector observed.

She, however, assured that street vendors who suffered losses to their businesses and did not receive any assistance from the government would have their grievances addressed separately.