The Deccan Herald  22.11.2010

Sale in the midst of garbage

Rahul Belagali, Chikkaballapur,Nov 21, DHNS:

Vendors, buyers make CB Pur shandy an unhygienic place

The City shandy street is the most prominent proof of all people- officials or civilians- disregarding pleas to “keep your surroundings clean.”

The City Municipal Council has put up placards in various places asking people to keep the environment clean, to help prevent spread of diseases, to throw waste only in dustbins, et cetera.

The police in the city too tell people not to block footpaths in any way. But there are no takers for the requests and the best place to see this disregard is the weekly shandy.

Thrown everywhere

Any time of the day, what stands out in the market is the lack of hygiene. Various corners of the market are covered by rotting vegetables or other garbage thrown by both vendors and buyers. Hygiene literally has no place in the shandy.

To make matters worse is the traffic congestion on the street and the underground drainage work going on. Heavy vehicles are not permitted to enter the area during the day.

Yet, vehicles carrying supplies come to the market place throughout the day. There are heaps of mud in different parts of the street due to the underground drainage work, making it difficult for pedestrians to use the street.

“Two dustbins have been provided at an end of the shandy street. Although there are instructions to dispose of garbage only in the bins, nobody follows the rules or instructions.

“People are indisciplined enough to throw waste just outside, but not inside the bins,” Ramashastri, a citizen of Chikkaballapur complained to the Deccan Herald.

“The heaps of garbage attract street dogs and this only worsens the situation. The entire road is now filled with garbage. In addition, these street dogs come even to the residential areas. How can there be any hope of having hygienic surroundings if the situation is like this?” he asked.

Fear of disease

Meat is sold near the dustbins and the waste remaining after sale of meat too is dumped by the side of the bins.

The residents of the layouts near the market complained about the reek emanating from the place to the City Municipal Council and representatives, but to no avail. People live in constant fear of spread of disease due to the unhygienic condition of the market.

Whenever there had been rumours of encroachment of footpaths, police rushed to the area and cleared the paths for easy use of pedestrians. But the situation is no better now.

Reaching next door

There are times when the level of pollution reaches such heights that it extends to the neighbouring B B Road, preventing entry into the shandy. Roadside fruit and vegetable vendors are always on tenterhooks, waiting for opportunity to grab a little space by the street to start selling their wares.

Citizens complain that such factors keep them from wanting to even enter the shandy.

“The vendors act like the footpaths are built for their use exclusively. They build small, temporary shops and sell fruits and vegetables on the footpaths,” the citizens add.