Nagpurians still struggle to find a hygienic vegetable market, thanks to apathy of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC). The key ingredient on palate of citizens comes from shoddy and unhygienic places, showcasing utter neglect of authorities who kept selling dream of sleazy foreign sites, ignoring the plight of basic facilities right under their noses. The example of Budhwar Bazaar, functioning at the present site in Raghuji Nagar for decades, but condition of the area has now deteriorated showcasing yet another glaring example of civic neglect. Indiscriminate dumping of solid waste and irregular cleaning have left the premises in a deplorable state. Fresh vegetables on one side, rotting garbage on the other reveals a contrasting picture at the market. A foul stench greets as one steps into the market that functions sans even basic facilities.

 

Hundreds of citizens arrive every Wednesday and Sunday to buy vegetables from vendors who are forced to operate amid filth and garbage on an open plot owned by NMC. Heaps of garbage and discarded vegetable waste lie in and around the market, while the stench of decomposing waste lingers even after garbage is occasionally removed using a JCB, said citizens in the nearby residential colonies. Yet, for vendors, the market must go on. “We are ready to pay the corporation for a proper mandi, but nobody listens. They do not want to give up this premium land in the heart of the city,” said Sunil Surjuse (66), an onion and potato seller who has worked at the bazaar for 55 years. “During monsoon, the mud forces many vendors onto the road. Garbage keeps piling up because people continue to dump waste here. We have no choice but to sell our vegetables in these deplorable conditions,” he added. During a ground visit on Wednesday, ‘The Hitavada’ observed several vendors using mild-steel platforms as temporary bases for their shops on the uneven and filthy ground below.

 

These platforms are removed after the bazaar ends. Sellers unable to afford them were seen displaying vegetables on dirty gunny bags. The situation worsens during monsoon as rainwater mixes with discarded vegetables, solid waste and mud, turning the marketplace slushy and filthy forcing vendors and customers to navigate through unhygienic conditions. Adding to the concern is the meat market in the same premises, where poultry meat and fish are sold. Waste generated by vegetable and meat sellers, coupled with poor sanitation and inadequate garbage disposal, further compounds the problem. Residents and vendors questioned why a plot used as a marketplace for decades has not been provided basic infrastructure, drainage and a systematic waste-management mechanism. When contacted, Dr Gajendra Mahalle, Chief Sanitation Officer, NMC, promised to clean the premises immediately. They also said the civic body has a plan to develop a new marketplace on the said plot.