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TRADE |
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HAWKERS
Like pedlars in rural areas, their counterpart in
urban areas viz., hawkers play an important role in the retail trade
of the district. However, organized trading activities due to
urbanisation, a product of industrial revolution, and the resultant
evolution of shops (big or small), do not give much scope to hawkers
especially in towns and cities. Even then they continue to be
prominent in semi-urban areas. They sell comparatively cheaper
articles usually in every day use, viz. peppermints, sugarcane
juice, cheap utensils, toys, agarbattis, fruits, sweetmeats
and a number of petty articles.
There were 34 hawkers in Kolhapur in 1955-56, a
majority of them being found in the " C " ward of the town. Hawkers
who sold tea, sweetmeats, bhel, etc., were licensed and a
licence fee of Rs. 2 each per month was collected from them.
However, those who sold kurmure, groundnuts, fruits, etc.,
were not required to take licences. They were found to be doing
their business near the railway station, bus stand and theatres.
In Ichalkaranji town there were nearly 100 hawkers
in 1955-56. The municipality collected licence fees at the rate of
Rs. 2 per annum from hawkers carrying fruits and vegetables on their
heads and selling them to customers, Rs. 4 per annum were collected
from those who used hand-carts and Rs. 8 per annum from hawkers who
used vehicles drawn by mechnical-power, etc.
The following municipalities viz., (1) Murgud, (2)
Gadhinglaj, (3) Kagal, (4) Kurundwad, (5) Vadgaon, (6) Malkapur and
(7) Panhala reported that there were no hawkers in their municipal
limits. However, in some municipal towns hawkers from nearby areas
used to come on bazar day or days to sell their goods. | 
