Hawker grows flower garden behind his cart to fight stench from nullah

Narendra Bhagat decided to create a garden in the space behind his cart. He first cleared the area and planted flower saplings. Every night, after his business hours, he would work towards transforming the area. Over the last two years, has transformed the space into a fragrant garden with flowers such as mogra, roses and others

KALYAN: A vegetable vendor, who used to receive complaints from his customers about the stench from the waste dumped into a nullah behind his handcart, decided to do something about it and over the last two years, has transformed the space into a fragrant garden with flowers such as mogra, roses and others.

Kalyan, India - April 13, 2023: 45-year-old vegetable seller Narendra Bhagat converts the place into a small flower garden in the last two years after customers complained of the stink due to waste dumped at the location where he sold his vegetables, in Kalyan (East), India, on Thursday, April 13, 2023. (Photo by Pramod Tambe/HT Photo) (HT PHOTO)

A farmer-turned-vegetable vendor from Akola in Vidarbha, Narendra Bhagat, 45, who hawks vegetables on a handcart on a bridge at Lokdhara, Bhim Chowk in Kalyan East, was irked with the waste dumped in the nullah and the foul smell emanating, as it affected his business.

“People complained to me about the stench whenever they came to buy vegetables. This used to affect my business, as some people would leave without buying. I decided to clean the area first and make it pleasant so that I don’t have to look for another place to run my business. It’s very difficult to find a new place,” said Bhagat.

Bhagat decided to create a garden in the space behind his cart. He first cleared the area and planted flower saplings. Every night, after his business hours, he would work towards transforming the area. Watering the plants proved difficult as there was no source of water nearby. As luck would have it, he soon spotted a leaking valve in a water pipeline over the nullah.

“I managed to find a container and kept it below the valve. I collected water in the container first and then I connected a pipe to the container with its other end opening into the garden. This has ensured regular watering of the garden for the last six months,” added Bhagat.

Bhagat suffered heavy losses in farming in his native Akola and decided to migrate to Kalyan with his wife and three children. He arrived a few months before the Covid-19 pandemic and worked at a shop in Dombivli.

When the pandemic struck, the shop was closed, and he lost his job. Bhagat then decided to sell onions and potatoes as many people, who had lost jobs, started helping people get groceries and vegetables during the lockdown. Later, Bhagat started selling more varieties of vegetables.

“For the last two years, I have been selling vegetables and the only hurdle I faced was the waste dumped here and the nullah behind. I decided to clean it so that it will look good and cover the nullah and buyers won’t be seeing the unclean surroundings and will not hesitate to buy from me.

“Now, it’s easier as people stop at my place to have a look at the garden and buy the vegetables as well,” said Bhagat.