If you visit Kalamna vegetable market, and see the scene there, you would never like to eat those vegetables again. The reason is the filth around the vegetable vendor, the vegetables lying in the dirt-- the scene is very much disgusting. With the elections for new body of Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) on, the new contractors for garbage picking can’t be appointed. Of course, the public’s neglect, too, can’t be ignored as people are equally responsible for the filth in the market. A hotelier, on condition of anonymity, said, “We need to buy vegetables on regular basis as we never use old ones. I am fed up of visiting the market. It not only gives the feeling of disgust but very irritating. Going there, carrying the vehicle, bringing most times the vegetables literally standing in the mud is a very difficult exercise.”

 

 

 

When one enters through the gate of Kalamna market from the Pardi side, the vegetable market falls on the right, after Anaj Bazar. The Anaj market is a bit dry, but when one moves towards vegetable market the filth becomes visible. Everywhere one finds slush, logged water, garbage and one has to move ahead walking on the filth. This hotelier pointed out, “We have asked the office of Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee to clean the area but everything fell on deaf ears. This has become a very difficult task to go there, move on the filth, buy vegetables and come back. Whenever I go and come back I feel as if I am returning from the war.” Some roadside eating joints are there in the middle of the garbage and people eat there. This picture is a very routine one. Rajesh Bhusari, who is an Administrator, told ‘The Hitavada’, “The vegetable market starts at 11 pm and the buyers gradually reduce by 3 pm in the afternoon of next day. The trucks come from all over India carrying vegetables.

 

The mentality of these truckers is of the people moving in the Cotton Market. They come with all filth, enter into the market, keep throwing the damaged vegetables on the road. Around 250-300 metador, truck daily visit the market.” Nagpur market is for six districts and in that proportion, number of vehicles, number of people visit the market. The cleaning work of the market is done during night hours. About 6,500 to 7,000 people come daily who too are careless and throw the dirt on the road instead of putting it into the dustbin. There are contractors who look after the work of lifting the garbage and their contracts are needed to be renewed. But as per the High Court renewal or appointing new contractors can’t be done unless new body of APMC is formed post-elections.

 

“We have eight new machines which we will be installing once the contractor gets appointed,” Bhusari made it clear. Earlier, President Rajesh Chhabrani too supported what Bhusari said. Secondly Kalamna Market is facing the issue of overloading as the vegetables in large quantity comes from nearby market, like Bhandara where the market has become non-functional. The platforms in the market where the vendors sell the vegetables are of Tar. They are to be constructed of cement. There are several other issues.