HC raps authorities for 'eyewash' approach against illegal hawkers

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday pulled up the Maharashtra government and civic authorities over their continued failure to act against illegal hawkers, and termed their approach as an ''eyewash''. A bench of Justices Ajey Gadkari and Kamal Khata said there was ''no will'' on the part of the authorities to implement orders passed by the court in the past regarding removal of unauthorised hawkers. The court was hearing a bunch of petitions raising concerns over the increasing number of illegal hawkers across the city. ''What you do is a complete eyewash. Every time we ask something, you just read out earlier orders. Don't read and tell us the orders. Tell us whether you are going to implement them,'' the judges said. The court noted that drives against illegal hawkers are carried out but no follow-up action is taken against them as they promptly return the next day to the same spot. The court criticised what it described as a pattern of helplessness displayed by the authorities. ''The state's approach is - we can't do anything. We are helpless. It is a complete shame that we have to tell the state that it has powers to act,'' the bench observed, adding that ''illegality is supported by the state'' while law-abiding citizens continue to suffer.

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