The flower and jaggery area of the Mapusa Municipal Market is full of cobwebs and bird nests. Although Ganesh Chaturthi is round the corner, the Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC) has not yet bothered to clean the market, which is visited by hundreds of shoppers throughout the year. During Ganesh Chaturthi, the number of shoppers is even bigger. Moreover, this market houses famous bakeries and confectioners, while traditional jaggery is also sold there.
There is a high risk of bird droppings, spiders and loosely-hanging cobwebs falling into food products and contaminating them. Besides, the market ceiling is an ugly sight for the shoppers, both national and international.
On the condition of anonymity, a shopkeeper mentioned that MMC cleaned the flower market last year and that the market leaks during the monsoons. He said, “We reminded MMC officials verbally and through letters several times to maintain cleanliness at the jaggery and flower market, but in vain. Since eatable products are sold here, it is the Urban Health Centre’s duty to visit this market frequently and direct the MMC to maintain cleanliness. Further, the lights in this market hardly work. Due to non-maintenance, the market bears a shabby and haunted look.”
