Harshini Brahmavar
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)
Udupi, May 22: The well-equipped fish market at Adi Udupi here built at a cost of Rs one crore is stinking. It has spoiled the clean image of the city.
Because of the nauseating stench the customers visiting the market and those living or running businesses nearby are forced to pinch their noses.
Those who approach the vicinity of this market many a time are forced to go back because of the extent of bad smell. In spite of all the problems faced by the vendors and the customers, the municipality has not attended to the problems affecting the fish market, the locals complain.
No water to either wash hands or drink
Because of acute shortage of water shortage affecting the city, the fish vending women at the market do not have water even for washing their hands or drink. The water supplied by the municipality once a week or so is grossly insufficient for them. Even though the market is big enough to accommodate over 30 fish vendors, currently, only ten to twelve women come there to market their fishes.
For that matter, every fish market needs abundant water supply. But the condition of this market here is terrible. The situation is so bad that people think twice before stepping in.
Toilet beyond use
Even though there is a toilet in this market, it has become unusable because of water shortage. The women marketing their fish as a result have been suffering as they have to be there from morning to evening. The other problems they suffer are rusted tube lights which hang over their heads, and cages of chicken which have not been cleaned since many years and therefore contribute to the otherwise stinking atmosphere.
Dirty water stranded
Pipes have been fitted below the spaces where the women sit and sell their fishes. The effluents after washing the fish do not have proper channel to flow into the drain. This water gets stranded and contributes to the stench at the area.
The shop at the market which is engaged in selling meat also faces the same situation. The shop gets tanker water by incurring huge expenditure as the municipal water is grossly insufficient. Because of the terrible smell, the number of customers approaching this shop has dwindled. The meat sellers confess that they too want to maintain cleanliness and said that that the municipality is expected to maintain the market. They say that after a well-equipped market came up near PPC, no one is paying attention to this market. Even though a person comes here to clean the market every day, shortage of water has worsened the situation. The tank of the market has no water, and the painting of the building has become dilapidated, they rue.
The municipality collects lacs of rupees from the shops here every year but it is not bothered about its maintenance.
Waste disposal
The fish market, and the surrounding places are full of waste matter and hence the stench is unbearable. The meat shop throws poultry waste into a dump. Whenever strong wind blows, the waste gets dispersed here and there. Therefore the market, in addition to adequate water supply, also needs a waste disposal unit.
The market, construction of which was undertaken at a huge cost, has become neglected now. The businessmen and municipality have neglected cleanliness. The municipality has failed to dispose off waste regularly. Social worker, Vishu Shetty Ambalpady, says that maintaining of a clean environment in the area needs to be given due importance.