MC fails, mosquitoes get best out of sabzi mandi

Manmeet Gill

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, August 18

A prime chunk of land outside the Hall Gate from where the old sabzi mandi used to run has turned into a dump yard.

Wholesale vegetable and fruit shops from the market were shifted to the New Vegetable Market at Vallah on the outskirts of the city in 2004. At present, only a few fruit and seed shops are operating from the Old Sabzi Mandi.

With land lying unused, commercial establishments dispose of their waste at this particular site. During monsoon, the entire area turns into a pond and becomes a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Shopkeepers in the area said reptiles and stray animals can be found in vacant plots.

A fruit seller said foul smell emanates from stagnant rainwater and waste in the area.

The old sabzi mandi was denotified by the government in 1995 and after shifting it in 2004, the Municipal Corporation had taken possession of the land in 2005.

Residents and traders had hoped that the land would be put to better use, but quite the opposite happened.

“Earlier, the traders used to get the area cleaned once in a while, but now the authorities hardly bother. It has become a safe haven for anti-social elements,” said Kultar Singh, a resident.

Another resident, Harnam Singh, said: “There is parking problem inside the Hall Bazaar. A parking lot should be developed on the said land for the general public.”