Pokhara, September 18:

Street hawkers organised a protest programme here today against their eviction by the Pokhara Sub-Metropolis from the streets.

The protest erupted after the Sub-Metropolitan Office, acting on the advice of political parties, civil society, traffic police, businessmen and local administration, decided to remove the street hawkers from Chipledhunga, Bhimsen Chowk, Palikhe Chowk and other places in the face of rising pollution and traffic chaos in the city.

Rallying in Chipledhunga, Bhimsen Chowk and other places and shouting slogans against the local body and Pokhara Chambers of Commerce and Industry, hundreds of street hawkers gheraoed the New Road-based office of the local body.

Later, they handed over a memorandum to the Sub-Metropolitan Office and warned of effecting an indefinite Pokhara bandh if they were not allowed to run their business as usual.

However, they were allowed to do the business from Purnima Hall to New Road till a new arrangement is made. The hawkers said that the eviction decision ahead of Dashain and Tihar was not acceptable to them.

Despite the protest, pedestrians said they heaved a sigh of relief after the hawkers were evicted from the streets. According to the local body, Pokhara has over 2,000 street hawkers.