Individual Reports of Students' Collectiom of data and Observation.
Student Surveyor 1
My name is Subho Nandi. I am a 2 nd year student of B.Com Hons. I have collected data on five days beginning on 07.03.2009.
On the first day, I met the hawkers at Rashbehari Avenue crossing in Kalighat and talked to them. Everyone of them wants to have a fixed, permanent job. All of them would like to possess permanent shops. They don't have the money to establish big shop or expand business. Most of them are afraid of raids by the police or Kolkata Municipal Corporation, demolishing their establishments. But despite all these difficulties, they arrange for proper education of their children.
On the second day of survey, I met the hawkers at Lake Market area. There some of them told me that they would prefer service as occupation. If they remain hawkers, they will prefer permanent shops. These hawkers are afraid that they will be driven out of the place once the supermarket which is being built there, begins to operate. Their more than 20/25 year old business will stop. They shall lose their only source of income and they are not sure of getting any alternative job. The hawkers in the area live in fear of police and K.M.C raids. Most of their children go to schools and colleges, some even to university for higher study.
On the third day, I met with the hawkers around the Gariahat road junction. All the shops there are very old. The hawkers have invested a lot of money in their business. They are afraid of an uncertain future if they are forced out of their places. These hawkers are not interested to change occupation; they need permission to set up permanent shops; they also need freedom from the worry of police/ K.M.C. raids. All of them feel that the establishment of big shopping complexes in the area is hampering their business. Some hawkers there have grown very old and infirm. They are still continuing with their business to support their families. They have said that the price rise of essential items is limiting the purchase capacity of people with fixed income; this has decreased their sale. Their children are all educated; some of them are in service.
On the fourth day, I met with the hawkers at Khidderpore road junction. They need permanent shops. Owing to financial problem, their investment is low. They have to run business on credit. They face some problems concerning their Hawkers' Union . Many old hawkers there suggests that one member from each of their families be given some permanent job on salary. Some hawkers there have handicapped members in their families; they expect the Govt. to give them some pension. All of them speak against regular police raids.
On the fifth day, I met with the hawkers at Hatibagan Market in Shyambazar. The hawkers here are very polite in behaviour. They all need permanent shop spaces. Their income is not much; they need to increase it. The sale is low; they have to do other odd jobs. They will prefer permanent salaried jobs. Most of them have received formal academic certificates and degrees; they have passed secondary/H.S/B.Com Exams. Their children study in colleges, engineering institutes and Calcutta University .
Student Surveyor 2
My name is Prasenjit Roy. I am a student of Botany Honours. We have been collecting data on hawkers of Kolkata for a U.G.C sponsored minor research programme under the supervision of our respected teachers Dr. Dilip Kumar Chakraborty, Dr. Pinaki Ranjan Roy, Dr. Sabyasachi Sen, Sri Debdulal Chatterjee and Dr. Sukla Roy Chowdhury.
I have visited places like Khidirpur, Raja Bazar, Tollygunge Metro and Rani Kuthi and have met and talked with the hawkers there. My experience tells me that the hawkers are neither too well off nor too poor. They asked us the purpose of our study. They wanted to know if the Government has plans to employ them in permanent jobs. Some of them told us that such enumeration has taken place earlier a number of times; the Government has done nothing to better their condition. We often felt helpless in replaying to their questions.
At some place, we met a woman with a small son and a daughter running a tea stall. Her condition is miserable. The stall is her only refuge and her husband has left her. She earns only Rs.50 per day for her three-member family. Now I know what the pain of poverty is .
Student Surveyor 3
My name is Anirban Das. I am a student of 1 st year B.Sc. Honours. I have visited Rasbehari Avenue Crossing at Kalighat, Lake Market and Gariahat for the survey on hawkers. I have analysed the many important data and have made the following impression.
The condition of the business of the hawkers at Rasbehari Avenue Crossing is not very good. They are straggling to survive. They deal in all types of articles. Their monthly income varies between Rs.2000/- and Rs.7000/- per month.
In the second phase we went Lake Market . The hawkers there are in no better condition. Their monthly income varies between Rs.3000 and Rs.7000.
In the third phase of survey I went to Gariahat. Most of the shops there sell cosmetics and jewellery items. The monthly income of the hawkers there varies between Rs.2000 and Rs.6000.
The hawkers at Rasbehari Avenue Crossing complained of insufficient lighting arrangement and drinking water scarcity. Their income is low; still the police forces every hawker to pay Rs.25/- per day as 'Hafta' or protection money.
The hawkers at Lake Market have no toilet facility. Many of them did not reveal their mind to us for fear of police persecution.
The hawkers at Gariahat need proper shade and overhead roof to protect themselves from the sun and the rain.
I have listed the names of four main unions operating in the surveyed areas:
a) Indira Hawkers Union at Garihat
b) Ballygunge Hawkers Union at Gariahat.
c) Hawkers Sangram Committee at Gariahat.
d) CITU at Gariahat, R.B Avenue and Shyambazar.
Monthly income of the hawkers differs among themselves and varies from place to place. Most of them earn an average of Rs.3000 p.m. where as some hawkers may earn as much as Rs.20,000. Their unions appear to be powerful; still the hawkers, particularly of Lake Market and Shyambazar complained of excessive police harassment.
I feel the hawkers need Government help. They should be spared police harassment for payment of 'hafta' from their poor income. The improvement of the hawkers' condition will also help in improving the financial condition of West Bengal .
Student Surveyor 4
My name is Preetam Chatterjee. I am third year student of B.Com. General Course. During the survey on hawkers, I visited places like R.B Avenue , Lake Market , Gariahat, Khiderpore, Raja Bazar and Shyam Bazar.
The hawkers at Gariahat, I feel, are facing difficulties with drinking water, toilet facility and proper sheds. The hawkers at Lake Market complained of poor lighting arrangement and lack of any permanent structure. The Hawkers at Khiderpore and Raja Bazar do not have sufficient capital to improve their business and arrangement of short term loan will benefit them greatly. The hawkers at Shyambazar, I have found, enjoy some better facilities. But the hawkers everywhere spoke of police harassment.
I had a sad experience at Khidderpore. One old hawkers there told me that his wife is dead and no one of his three sons earn well to run the family. So the expense of the family depends on the earning of the old man. This old hawker was the first to suggest short term loan to run or improve the business of the needy hawkers.
Student Surveyor 5
My name is Shubham Paul. I am a student of 2 nd year B.Com Honours Course. I have made the survey on hawkers in areas like Lake Market , Gariahat and Shyambazar.
The daily net income of the hawkers at Gariahat is reasonably good. It ranges between Rs. 200 and Rs. 350. Some of them earn even higher; they maintain 2/3 shops and have 5/6 employees working under them.
In the Lake Market region the income is much less; the hawkers here earn anything between Rs. 60 and Rs. 150 per day. And their problems are all the same. They have a huge problem with the K.M.C. because; it does not allow them to put plastic sheets over their shops. They face harassment from the police. Their problems relate to proper toilet facility, drinking water, electrical connection, permanent shops etc.
Some of the hawkers were reluctant to convert with us. It was found out that the State Govt. and K.M.C officials had earlier conducted a similar survey; nothing good came out of it for them.
The hawkers have grievance against establishment of Shopping Malls and Retail Business Companies; they can offer less price to the customers.
The hawkers cause difficulty to the pedestrians; while setting up their shops, they leave very little space for walking alone the footpath.
And I think that even if these hawkers are given permanent shelters with all necessary facilities, the next morning we will see a fresh bunch of hawkers sitting on the footpath. Hence, to be frank and practical, there is no end to the problem, and it's a fact which can't be denied.
Student Surveyor 6
My name is Ankan Bal. I am a student of 3rd year B.Com Honours. During the survey on the status of street hawkers of Kolkata, I had to visit places like Rashbehari Avenue , Lake Market , Gariahat, Khidderpore and Rajabazar.
On the first day, I talked with the hawkers at Gariahat. They complained of police harassment and lack of toilet facility.
The hawkers at Lake Market I met were not much vocal against police trouble; their main problem seemed to be insufficient lighting; they even complained against the K.M.C. for demolishing many of their shops.
The hawkers at Khidderpore spoke mainly of their financial problem. But wherever we went, we found some common problems ------ the exposure to sun and rain, police and K.M.C raids. Despite these difficulties, this hawkers are trying to educate their children through proper schooling. They do not need too many helps from the Govt; their common prayer to the Govt. is to let them continue with their occupation with the assurance that their shops will not be demolished.
Student Surveyor 7
My name is Somnath Dasgupta. I am student of 2 nd year B.Com Honours . I met and talked with the hawkers at Gariahat, Lake Market , R.B. Avenue , Khidderpore, Shyambazar and Rajabazar.
On the first day of the survey programme we visited the Lake Market area. We went there with the knowledge of the hawkers' union and this made our task easy. Most of the hawkers fully co-operated with our job of data collection. Some of them, of course, did not tell us much about themselves.
From Lake Market , we went to Gariahat. The hawkers there belong to various unions like Indira Hawkers' Union, Ballygunge Hawkers' Union , CITU etc.
We collected data from the hawkers at khidderpore and Rajabazar for two days. From there we went to Hatibagan in Shyambazar. We completed our assignment there and then came back to Gariahat and Rajabazar region to finish our incomplete job there.
During the visits to such various places, I have heard of the many problems the hawkers face. Some hawkers complained of the K.M.C. people removing the plastic covers over their heads; many complained against the police forcibly collecting money from them every month; others complained against water and space problems. Many hawkers are there whose daily income is a meagre 30 to 50 rupees. They have not only to run their families with this amount; the interference of the corporation and police has made their lives unbearable. This is my personal observation from the experience I have gathered during the survey.
Student Surveyor 8
My name is Kamal Das. I am a 2 nd year B.Com Honours student. I began my hawker survey work at the popular, busy Khidderpore and Rajabazar. Numerous poor and helpless, young and old people there are engaged in the business. I have seen an old man of seventy selling toys sitting on the street side. Even in the heat of the day, they do not have any roof overhead. During heavy rains the streets get under water; they cannot set up their shopes; their earning stop and their families suffer. One hawker informed me of local toughs who regularly extract money from them; the poor hawker becomes poorer by this.
I went to Shyambazar next. The hawkers there do not have any capital of their own. They are forced to take loans from money-lenders at high rate of interest. Then, most of the hawkers have no roof over their heads; if they put up plastic sheets, the corporation people take them away. Add to this, their business is hampered during rains.
The hawkers at Gariahat at first took us to be Govt. people, out to force them out of their place. We then talked to their union leaders and convinced them of our honest intention to do them good. Only then the hawkers replied to our queries. We collected information of their condition and difficulties. They face financial problems; they need roofs overhead; they ask for monetary help from Govt. to expand their business. Lastly, they expressed little hope for the outcome of the survey; such surveys have earlier taken place but their condition has remained the same.
Student Surveyor 9
My name is Abhijit Saha. I am a 2 nd year B.Com Hons student. I visited places like Gariahat, Khideerpore and Shyambazar during the survey of the hawkers of Kolkata.
Before meeting the hawkers at Shyambazar, we met the C.I.T.U secretary there. According to his estimate, there are more than 3000 hawkers in the region. We began to meet with the hawkers to collect necessary data. I talked with a hawker selling ready- made dresses. He told me the help they get from their union. But his main problem is lack of capital for investment. He cannot even send his children to school for want of money. He prayed for Govt. help in this respect. I next met a hawker who said his shop was demolished at least ten times in the past. Even a year ago, police used to take money from them. Now he feels safe because their union, C.I.T.U has given them identity cards. He requests the corporation to allow them to put up at least plastic covers overhead.
At Khidderpore and Rajabazar I met child hawkers selling fruits. Some hawkers there were not very responsive.; they believed their condition would not improve out of such surveys. Any how some other hawkers told us of their difficulties. They need loan at low interest rate; they need Govt. help to put up shops; they need money from Govt. to educate their children.
The hawkers at Gariahat replied to our questions. But they doubted the benefit of such surveys. The earlier survey by the corporation has done them no good; their condition remained the same. They sounded quite cynical about it.
Student Surveyor 10
My name is Indrajit Saha. I am a 2 nd year B.Com Hons student. I met the hawkers at R.B. Avenue , Lake Market , Gariahat, Khidderpore and Shyambazar during our data collection drive.
On the first day we went to Lake Market . We had already informed the Market Union of our survey programme. The hawkers there spoke of various problems of their lives. They need proper toilet facility; they need roofs over their heads. I visited all other places on other days of the survey work. I had the impression that many of them were unwilling to give us information. They doubted the very purpose of the survey. Any how from what I have gathered from them, they face problems of K.M.C and police raids, and the lack of protection from the sun and the rain. They expect their problem to be solved by proper authorities.
Student Surveyor 11
My name is Sanjib Majhi. I am a Computer Science Honours student. To study the status of street hawkers of Kolkata, I met them at distant places like Bonhoogly and Shyambazar. I got immense pleasure and gathered much experience during my first ever such survey. I now know approximately how many people are running their families by hawking on the streets; I now know something of their socio economic life. I was doubtful at the beginning of getting the truths out of them, but they really co operated well. The hawkers everywhere were first afraid of our very intention. They thought we were preparing field to drive them away. So many of them were afraid of telling me their names or giving me their contact numbers. Still some of them spoke their poor financial condition and the want of a permanent roof over the head to protect them from the sun and the rain. And all of them wished the Govt. helped them to solve their problems.
Student Surveyor 12
My name is Santu Naskar. I am a student of B.Sc honours. To study the status of the hawkers of Kolkata, I went to R.B. Avenue , Gariahat, Khidderpore, Rajabazar, and Shyambazar.
We first went to R.B. Avenue and Gariahat. The hawkers appeared surprised; they did not want to converse with us. Then we went to their union room; the men of the union were very helpful. They helped us to collect information from hawkers. Their financial condition is not very bad; some of the hawkers even invested upto Rs1lakh in business. Sometimes they face problems from police, K.M.C. etc.
At Khidderpore and Rajabazar the hawkers first doubted our intention. They thought we went there to displace them. We had to convince them of our sincere intention. Only then they told us about their poverty and other associated problems.
We made our survey at Shyambazar with the help of the union men. We enjoyed our experience there moving from stall to stall and collecting data.
Student Surveyor 13
My name is Debapriya Das. I am a 2 nd year B.Com Hons student. I collected data from hawkers in places all along R.B.Avenue, Khidderpore and Hatibagan in Shyambazar.
According to my experience and view, the hawkers of the surveyed areas are facing great economic problems. It is becoming very difficult for them to meet the expenses of their families. Add to their financial problem, they face problems in running their businesses from police, Money-lenders, K.M.C. etc.
Among the hawkers, there are some who are educated; they will readily accept some fixed job at an expected salary of Rs 3000 to 8000 p.m. Generally speaking, most of the hawkers want Bank Loan at a low rate of interest so that they do not have to take loan from Mahajans' (money-lenders) at high rate of interest.
The hawkers of all the surveyed regions have great expectations concerning our survey and report; they think that Govt. will do something to improve their lot after seeing our reports.
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