Street hawkers' body urges Centre to issue national guidelines to protect vendors from heatwaves

National Hawkers Federation urges government for national guidelines to protect street vendors from rising heatwave threats.

The National Hawkers Federation (NHF) on Friday (April 11, 2025) urged the Centre to issue national-level guidelines to protect street vendors from the rising threat of heatwaves.

The increasing temperatures are putting the lives and livelihoods of over two crore vendors at risk, it said.

In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, the federation said the frequency and intensity of heatwaves have increased alarmingly, with 2023 witnessing around 30 days of extreme heat conditions, and demanded that heatwaves be included in notified disasters under the Disaster Management Act.

The federation said vendors are facing a "double impact" in the form of health risks due to prolonged exposure and loss of income due to reduced customer footfall.

"Vendors report heat exhaustion, dehydration, dizziness and even heat strokes. Heatwaves also impact perishable goods, increasing financial losses. Vendors selling fresh produce, dairy and other heat-sensitive items suffer particularly heavy economic setbacks," the federation said.

It said despite the growing risks, street vendors often lack basic infrastructure like shade, drinking water and first-aid support.

The NHF demanded that the government integrate vendor protection measures into the National Disaster Management Authority’s (NDMA) guidelines and ensure state and urban bodies implement them.