Phagwara vendors hold protest against new tax by Corporation

Local vendors along with BSP workers today held a demonstration outside the local Corporation office protesting against levying of tax on 'rehris' (stationary cart-vendors) and 'pheris' (moving push-carts).
The protesters who had assembled at Gandhi chowk near Phagwara-Banga road here started their march to the office of Mayor and Deputy Mayors in local Town Hall along National Highway 1, police said.
They also burnt a joint effigy of Mayor Arun Khosla and two deputy Mayors Surinder Singh Walia and Ranjit Singh Khurana, police added.
Led by BSP's former state General Secretary Jarnail Nangal, the portestors 'gheraoed' the office for over half an hour, squatted dharna and shouted slogans against the corporation authorities, they said.

However, the Mayor and the two deputy Mayors were not present in their office at that time.
Nangal alleged that the local Corporation has levied a monthly tax of Rs 1,000-3,000 on 'rehris' and 'pheris', thus putting unbearable burden on the vendors.

A series of such protests will be held daily till Friday, Nangal said.
"If this did not have any effect on the deaf ears of the Corporation authorities, then we would announce a very stringent action plan from next Monday," he said.
BSP Councillor Purnima Suman, who squatted with the protesters, alleged that her opposition to the decision of levying the tax on the vendors was ignored in the Corporation meeting as the ruling SAD-BJP had comfortable majority in the house.

When contacted, Mayor Arun Khosla said that Rs 3,000 monthly fee was levied only on 'rehris' of the 'chaupatti' in Guru Hargobindnagar area here.
"Other 'rehris' will be charged only Rs 1,000 monthly", he said.
Khosla also assured 'rehriwalas' that nobody would be uprooted nor any 'rehri' removed and that the fees would be charged as per convenience of the vendors.
"In return, Corporation will provide secured sites and sanitation facilities to them," said the Mayor.