Failure to enforce rules causes suffering

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Government departments such as the Health & Family Welfare Department and civic bodies such as the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) frame guidelines and rules every now and then, but subsequently fail to take follow-up action to ensure compliance on the ground. And Guwahati city and other urban areas of Assam are suffering the consequences of this failure.

The ongoing festive season is a case in point. It is common knowledge that the demand for various types of fruits – especially bananas – starts increasing before the onset of Durga Puja. It is also common knowledge that numerous fruit vendors illegally use calcium carbide to unnaturally and prematurely ripen bananas in particular. This chemical is extremely harmful to health. However, not a single raid/inspection was noticeable by either the GMC or the Health & Family Welfare Department throughout the ongoing month at various fruit stalls.

It is pertinent to mention in this context that a few years ago, the Health & Family Welfare Department launched a campaign against the use of formaldehyde as a preservative for fish supplied from outside Assam. However, that lasted for only a little while and now there is no activity to monitor the use of formaldehyde by fish exporters from other states such as Andhra Pradesh.

Similarly, the GMC and other civic bodies periodically keep announcing that the sale of meat and fish will not be allowed in open spaces such as footpaths, bye-lanes etc. However, around 90 per cent of meat and fish vendors sell their goods in open spaces in Guwahati city in unhygienic conditions.

The same applies to the recent ban on single-use plastics (SUP). After some initial raids and inspections, the authorities concerned are turning a blind eye to the rampant use of single-use plastics by both traders and consumers.

Another regular scenario is the eviction of vendors from the roadsides. The issue in this regard is that Assam Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Rules, 2016 stipulate that vending zones should be set up for the re-location of street vendors from authorized areas. In March this year, the GMC identified eight places to establish vending zones. However, the matter is hanging fire since then, with the result that street vendors evicted from the roadside in one area simply move to a roadside in a different locality. Some even return to their original areas after some time elapses.

Some questions arise in the public's mind: Why do the authorities concerned hesitate to enforce rules and guidelines made by them for the common good, despite having the required manpower and legal mandate? Is this inaction the result of simple negligence or some other sinister factor?

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