Panel to sort out Siddhivinayak hawkers issue

The Maharashtra government will appoint a committee under the leadership of a minister of state to sort out the issue of hawkers around Siddhivinayak Temple at Prabhadevi.

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has stated this while the issue of hawkers was raised during calling attention motion in the legislative assembly on Thursday. It was raised by Shiv Sena MLA Sada Sarvankar who wanted the government to ensure that the hawkers are not displaced.

As of now, the hawkers are fighting a case with the authorities over the premium amount charged. While they lost out in the lower courts, the matter is still being heard in the Bombay high court.

"We will be forming a committee under a minister of state and will ensure that some help is given to them," said Fadnavis.

Mangal Prabhat Lodha, another MLA, demanded to know if a similar solution can be found in the case of hawkers outside Mumbadevi and Mahalakshmi temples too. "When the meeting is held, we will try to look into a solution on the hawkers around those temples too," said Fadnavis.