One step into the Panjim Market Complex will force you to hold your nose and wonder whether you are entering a garbage dump. The stench, which welcomes you, will prompt you to retrace your steps and make an early exit, forgetting even the purpose you entered the complex for.
People usually enter a complex in order to save time for shopping since the place has everything you need for your household — fish, vegetables, meat, groceries, etc, and buy the things at one go. The Panjim market, however, is one place where you will avoid entering because of the stench it emanates, the unhygienic conditions you observe and the way eatables are sold.
The entire market is scattered with garbage, rotten vegetables and stale fish and rotten meat, making it a very hard for buyers to spend even a little time inside the complex due to stench prevailing in the market complex.
Many people have stopped going to the market complex after noticing the unhygienic conditions prevailing there. The open drainage is filled with rotten vegetables, stale fish, discarded by the vendors who appear to be using the drains as their garbage bins.
When the Herald team visited the Panjim Market, it was greeted by the stinking foul smell. Garbage was seen piled up in almost every corner of the complex.
The fish and meat vendors were seen throwing the left-over waste directly into the gutter opposite the market complex, which indirectly is an open invitation for rodents, stray dogs and crows to feed on the trash.
The daily buyers, who still continue to come for shopping despite the stench, say “this is the scene everyday at the complex.”
“Panjim market complex is a complete mess, with the fish and meat stalls located under the same roof making it difficult for the consumers to bear the smell of the stale fish, meat and the garbage which is just thrown away in the gutters leading to choking and bad smell,” says Akshaya Nair.
But the City Corporation of Panaji has a different story to relate.
“We make sure the market complex is kept clean, each day we have garbage collectors disposing the garbage,” says CCP Mayor Surendra Furtado.
“The Goa Government, for the past several years, has not given us any dumping grounds for the garbage and even stopped us from taking our garbage to the new plant in Saligao. The Government should allow CCP to use the Saligao plant for disposal of garbage,” added Furtado.
Especially during the rains it was pragmatic that the sewage would bubble up in most parts of the complex posing a huge risk in terms of health issues to the public.
Another buyer Ramesh Abreu had to say this “I have stopped going to the Panjim Market, as it is very unhygienic there. The smell is extremely bad and the area is fully scattered with garbage and other things like rotten vegetables and plastic is just seen piled up in every corner.”
It was also noticed that the meat vendors were seen cutting the meat without using gloves, which is mandatory according to the Food and Drug Association guidelines.
In the midst of loads of garbage and unhygienic conditions, traffic congestion also greets the buyers everyday as there are no proper parking facilities.
During Herald’s visit to the market, rats were seen loitering in close proximity to the meat stalls and the vendors were not seen maintaining proper hygiene.
“Meat stalls should be shifted to another different complex. Why are the authorities not taking any action in regards to the unhygienic conditions which prevail at the market complex,” asks Nilesh Rao.
Most of the buyers present at the market complex told Herald that there is no proper management in place and stray dogs roam in and around the market the whole day.
“I used to buy meat from Panjim market before, but after seeing the unhygienic conditions, I stopped buying meat from there. The concerned authorities have not taken any initiative to maintain hygiene,” said Akram Khan.
The vendors, however, refused to speak on the issue of maintaining proper hygiene and why waste is just thrown away carelessly in the complex.
On the other side the vegetable vendors were seen throwing left over rotten vegetables directly on the pathway causing inconvenience to commuters.
“The authorities should clean the market surrounding areas on priority basis, at regular intervals and only then we will achieve the target of clean Goa,” said Vishal Nayak.
The vendors also mentioned that a third phase of market complex was supposed to constructed, but it’s been a long time this promise has not been fulfilled. They said the CCP should finish this project on priority level.
“We are not getting any rent from the market complex; on the contrary we have to pay huge money in the form of electricity and water bills. In such circumstances it’s very difficult to commence the third phase, where the CCP will not get any income,” said Surendra Furtado, CCP Mayor.
