The issue of DNA asking hawkers a rupee a day in advance over and above reader’s payment is solved for now. The talks were held between newspaper hawkers federation and the DNA management last night. That is why many of you readers must have got DNA copy today.
Now the arrangement is something like this (this is a complex calculation, but simplified for your understanding of things): The distributors will pay the hawkers in advance (instead of the hawkers paying, so this is reversal of the old UNIQUE module of DNA) and then they (distributors) do business with DNA. Hawkers will not pay anything from their pocket. There is a trick here: It seems it is the distributors who are paying, not the DNA management. So, the buck of investment is now passed on to the distributors, sparing the hawkers.
This, in my personal view, is a victory for hawkers who again proved that they are not investors and they just deliver the newspaper. Imagine a situation where you had already paid, and the hawker buys the newspaper and does not deliver to you!! Double payment, yet no paper for the reader!!! But now, the hawkers made it very clear that they are just service providers.
I, personally and on behalf of the newspaper hawkers thank all the readers in general and those subscribers in particular for understanding the issue. I request the readers to do the following:
1) Please don’t criticise the hawker for the delay in delivery; He must be having a valid reason. Otherwise, why should he wake up early in the morning and delay the delivery? Please note this.
2) Newspaper hawkers need your support. Encourage them, support them. If you volunteer to help them by way of paying educational expenses etc., you are most welcome.
3) Newspaper hawkers federation members will not involve in any investment plans of any company. It is not their business. They just deliver and take the service fee.
So, we fight is over for now, but for any tricks by the management.
Disclaimer: I have supported the cause of newspaper hawkers in general. Please don’t hold me responsible for any issue related to your subscription, delivery etc., You can inform me, but I have limited options. I am neither a office bearer of newspaper hawker federation nor a public relation officer for the newspaper management. I am just a public activist, who supports justifiable public causes.
