The Times of India  04.09.2010

NAGPUR: Come monsoon and the Mahatma Phule Market, commonly known as Cotton Market, becomes worse than a garbage dump with slush, cow dung and rotting vegetable waste posing major problems for vendors and consumers.

The NMC which is responsible for maintaining cleanliness in the city and market areas has blamed Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC), which controls the particular market area, for the problems being faced by citizens.

NMC health officer (sanitation) Dr Milind Ganvir said that APMC has appointed a private contractor for maintenance and cleanliness in the vegetable market operated behind the NMC-owned Mahatma Phule market building. He added that NMC is responsible for cleanliness and other maintenance work in the building and it regularly lifts garbage and other waste material from there.

NMC has even sent a proposal to APMC to hand over the cleanliness work of the entire market area to them. But, the proposal is still gathering dust at the APMC office.

NMC standing committee chief Sandeep Joshi said that the only solution to the problem is to give the entire market a facelift.

“The project will require investment of Rs 90 crore and we have to shift the vegetable market elsewhere till the new building comes up.

Renowned architect Hafeez Contractor has already submitted a design for the redevelopment of the building. However, now the matter is pending with the chief minister Ashok Chavan, who, on the request of vegetable vendors, has given a stay on the project. Only after his approval can the market be redeveloped on Built-Operate-Transfer (BOT)
basis,” Joshi said.