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Despite fines, veggie market remains littered
Despite fines issued by the mandi board, the city’s vegetable continued to be littered with garbage, visitors alleged.
Despite fines issued by the mandi board, the city’s vegetable continued to be littered with garbage, visitors alleged.
The visitors to the market have raised concerns over unsanitary conditions and said they have become a problem for vendors and shoppers alike.
In June, senior mandi board officials inspected the vegetable market and highlighted its “unhygienic” condition. They took up the issue with the secretary of the market committee and stressed the need for immediate action. The contractor for waste management at the mandi was fined by the contractor just a few months ago.
Every day, over 30,000 customers, sellers and workers visit the market, which is central to the vegetable trade in the city and surrounding areas. Vendors claimed that a waste disposal contract, worth ₹57 lakh, was awarded in May. However, they alleged that little progress has been made in finding a long-lasting solution to the garbage problem.
Garbage heaps can be seen at the market and have become breeding grounds for flies and mosquitoes. The situation has been exacerbated by the onset of the monsoon, which results in waterlogging.
Despite repeated attempts, district mandi officer Gurmatpal Singh was not available for comments.
Deputy commissioner Sakhsi Sawhney said, “I have directed the officials concerned to get it checked and submit a report.”
New Vegetable Market Commission Agent Association vice-president Rishu Arora said, “The contractor has failed to remove the waste, which should otherwise be done daily. As the contractor lacks necessary machinery, rainwater has accumulated at the mandi and it carries the garbage onto roads.”
Tarun Jain, a regular visitor to the vegetable market, expressed his frustration. “The mandi board generates substantial revenue from vendors and yet, the market’s condition suggests that officials are complicit with the contractor. Workers usually collect the garbage from the market and dump it at the corners, causing waste to pile up,” he said.
