At a time when the controversial Sopo tax is being battled out between the vendors and the Ponda Muncipal Council (PMC) in the court, another controversy is lurking in Ponda.
A major problem confronting residents in Ponda town is the stench from the market mainly due to haphazard dumping of waste into the Nullah, which passes between the fish and vegetable market.
What has angered locals and authorities is that the PMC collects garbage and waste, but that has not stopped some vendors from discarding waste into the open Nullah. The release of wastewater from the fish market and dumping of vegetables and other garbage into the Nullah has also added to the problem.
Following complains from residents, some shop owners and vendors of unbearable stench all over market area due to dumping of waste in the market Nullah, Ponda Health Officer Dr Nutan Dev visited the site and conducted an inspection.
“I was surprised that even though the PMC has a garbage treatment facility, some careless fish, chicken and mutton vendors were throwing waste into the Nullah. Some of them even admitted to their act. This problem has become complex and it can only be resolved if PMC, vendors and citizens sit together and discuss the issue,” remarked Dr Dev.
When former chief minister and present Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had recently visited the Ponda market to resolve the Sopo issue, the stench from the Nullah could not escape him.
Parrikar insisted that the Nullah needed to be cleaned first and suggested that it could take at least two months to get the Nullah cleaned.
Speaking to Herald, Kishore Mamlekar, leader of the vendors, admitted that the PMC has been collecting the waste and garbage, but accused some PMC workers of leaving the waste in the market.
“It is true that fish vendors, chicken vendors and vegetable vendors also dump their waste into the Nullah and the problem should be sorted out by the PMC and vendors.”
When contacted, PMC Acting Chairperson Shantaram Colvekar claimed that the problem has largely been due to insensitive vendors.
“PMC is regularly collecting all waste from the fish and vegetable market. With the garbage treatment plant, Ponda city is collecting door-to-door garbage and is treating all waste.”
The problem of stench in the Market Nullah, he explained, occurs as some insensitive vendors dump fish, chicken and other waste into the Nullah.
“If they have any problem, they should ask PMC for dustbins and we are always ready to cooperate,” said Colvekar.
“But if such situation prevails, we will have no alternative but to impose heavy fines on errant vendors in the fish and vegetable market. It is not only the responsibility of PMC and panchayats, but citizens and vendors should also be concerned about maintaining the city,” added Colvekar.
Aware of the problem surrounding the Nuululah, PWD Minister Sudin Davlikar has appealed to the Ponda vendors to make joint efforts and create awareness among fellow vendors to ensure cleanliness in the market.
