Vendors at Unit 4 Fish Market, Bhubaneswar rue Govt Apathy

Be it the savory Rohi (roho labeo), Bhakura, Hilsa, or the shrimps in various shapes, the Unit-IV fish market is the haunting ground of thousands of fish-lovers of temple city. Especially, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday are the days in every week that bring highest number of buyers to the market. Situated at the heart of the city, the market has turned into a prime shopping place for the gourmands. Housing the wholesale as well as retail markets for fish, the market has now the unbeatable reputation in Odisha as the vending place for the best types of fishes in every category.

“Earlier in the eighties, the wholesale market for fish was located in Unit-III in close proximity of Master-Canteen square. As UCO Bank took over its plot, the market was later shifted to this place in the nineties, although retail market for fish already existed here. This gave rise to further congestion as demand for space went up. The market also has rows of grocery shops, books and stationery shops, and a large vegetable market and this produces maximum garbage in a day”-Says Harihara Sahoo-  a coconut seller in front of the market, lamenting on the lack of sanitation and proper disposal of trash from the market. He admits the solid-waste from fish market adds considerably to the stink emanating from market.

The fish market sells around 5000 tons of fish in different categories, giving an annual turnover of more than fifty crores of rupees. Despite being one of the top fish vending zones in Odisha, the market has stayed the worst place for a shopping experience because of squalor. Complete lack of proper disposal of solid-waste, scales, fin, flesh, and blood from fish add to woos of both buyers and sellers. The situation turns worst in the rainy season as drains get choked with filth and other garbage. The place has now acquired the disrepute of being the breeding ground for dangerous mosquitoes, flies, and deadly viruses.

TNI talked to the Chairman of Jai Jawan fish market association, Jambeswar Mallick, who gave a vivid account of the condition prevailing in the market. “Although we have built up 39 pucca settlements for wholesalers, the predicament of almost 150 retailers keeps on increasing day-by-day. They keep on quarrelling for space for getting seated and vending and no proper seating arrangement is available from the administration of the state so far. We need sufficient amount of water for cleaning place but have to stay dependant on our own bore-wells. The administration has not given us any source for water supply. Regrettably, the market has availed almost no benefit from “Swachh Bharat Mission” and it deserves the first preference under this scheme from all angles”- Rues Mallick, blaming lack of co-operation from the civic bodies and concerned departments.

Although the market was inaugurated in the year 1972 by then Chief Minister, late Smt. Nandini Satapathy, sanitation and proper administration have stayed unsystematic and lax right from the beginning. Although, the market could match the size of main market, situated in Unit-I, people still ride through it on their motor-bikes, adding further to air pollution and space problem.

The retailers still huddle for space under the open-sky as they raise temporary seating arrangement consisting of rexine tops over their heads. The plight of the retailers keeps on worsening as the number of members grows every year. Often resulting in fights and quarrels, the association has to struggle for ways for bringing solutions.

The BMC now continues the task of disposal of solid waste from fish market in the dumping yard at Bhuasuni, where most of the dumped solid-waste is buried. As the corporation plans to install a solid waste treatment plant near Chandaka, it has not so far taken any shape. The further proposal of building the integrated fish market at Pahal is yet to see light of the day.