A panel discussion (1hr discussion + 1hr Q&A) on the ocassion of International Hawkers day! Focus on sustainable consumerism and the contribution of a hawker in the value chain. Entree free for all.

SPEAKERS: 1) T. Vijayendra - Environmentalist & Ex-Trade Union Activist (Sustainability in Value chains & Importance of Hawker) 2) Sudharshan Rao - Trade Union Activist (Challenges & rights of Hawker)

CONTEXT: Hawkers deserve support from other sections of people who benefit from their activities, as hawkers form an important section of the working class. They provide important consumer goods and services for ordinary people at affordable cost. Some times when they sell seasonal fruits, members of the upper classes also buy from them because they are fresh.

They form an important link in the chain of sustainable consumerism. Their prices are low because their over heads low. The hawker or his family does the procurement, processing or cooking themselves. They have low or zero inventories costs Even though their prices are low, people still haggle for prices because the buyers are also poor. People don't haggle when they buy from big stores. Still in some cases, like hawkers selling tea or idlis from bicycle, the prices are fixed.

Traditional mass manufacturing methods resulted in the growth of retailing and hypermarkets. Such a value chain is mainly responsible for the excessive acquistion of consumer goods in the society. Theres a need to reconfigure these supply chains to achieve sustainability benefits. Hence, Hawkers and decentralized production chains are to be encouraged.

Hawkers face harassment as there are various channels of corruption through both govt. and non-govt. bodies, where hawkers end up paying space rent illegally.