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Govt backtracks on fish and poultry market at Pune’s Market Yard
Fadnavis instructed the Maharashtra marketing minister Abdul Sattar asking APMC to drop the proposal
The state government and Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) had to withdraw on Monday its decision to start fish and poultry sale at Market Yard.
Facing opposition from neighbourhood residents, including Mukundnagar, and traders also against the proposed wholesale fish and poultry market at Gultekdi Market Yard, the elected members of Pune APMC approached the government, which went on the backfoot, withdrawing the proposal.
Earlier in the day, members from different communities under an “all religion morcha” carried out a march against the proposal. Hearing their petition, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Madhuri Misal called up deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis informing him about the opposition by residents.
Later, Fadnavis instructed the Maharashtra marketing minister Abdul Sattar asking APMC to drop the proposal.
Misal said, “After getting instructions from Fadnavis, Sattar directed Pune APMC to drop the plan to set up fish market at Market Yard.”
The Pune APMC has an open plot in front of Gultekdi Market Yard known as Bamboo market on Chhatrapati Shivaji Road. Recently, the newly elected members of Pune APMC proposed to set up a wholesale fish and chicken market on this space.
After APMC approved the proposal, it triggered sharp reactions from different communities living on Satara Road. Most of the residents in the locality belong to Jain and Gujarati communities. The area also has wholesale market with many grocery traders from Jain community. They are among those who have opposed the proposal.
Political leaders from all parties, including Misal and Sunil Kamble, participated in the “all religion morcha”.
Misal said that she is against the proposal and support the citizens’ view.
The Pune APMC is ruled by the BJP. Arvind Shinde, Congress city unit president, said, “The BJP-ruled Pune APMC cleared the proposal and now they are rejecting it. It is an attempt to create nuisance and later take the credit for addressing it.”
Ashwini Kadam, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and former corporator, said, “There could be some vested interest behind the proposal, as the same party forwarded it only to oppose it later.”
Pune APMC directors Ganesh Ghule, Santosh Nagare and Bapu Bhosale said, “It is true that all members approved the proposal, but we will remain with citizens. We three opposed it and would have taken steps to revise the decision.”
