A sample of the economic and political impact of a routine
M.C.D. “raid” on the lives of vendors:
During a raid conducted on December 3, 2004, in which the
local police participated, the following goods were confiscated
under 20 different challans, one for every confiscated item,
from two vendors one who runs
a roadside food stall in Sewa
Nagar and another who runs a cycle
repair shop. The list reads as follows:
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One
rehdi • - one gas cylinder, 18 broken bamboos, one broken
tin sheet
• four saucepans, • one small kadahi, one pan
• one wooden counter, one iron stool,
• one board, • one broken bench one torn plastic
sheeting • one plastic sheeting
• one plastic sheeting • one wooden box •
two bamboos • one box • one gas stove
• one rehdi • one rehdi • one broken bench,
one gas light,one wooden stool,
some tools in a bag
Fine
demanded for return of goods : Rs. 19,000
Cost of starting business again for Meena : Rs. 8 to
10,000
Minimum loss of income for 25
days of enforced idleness: Rs. 4000
It takes days or weeks for a vendor whose wares
have been confiscated to arrange for loans and start
all over again |
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