Market Committee blames illegal vendors for Chandigarh Sector 26 mandi sanitation mess

Illegal vendors have become a major concern at the Sector 26 fruit and vegetable mandi. Market Committee Administrator Paviter Singh has stated that only 12, out of hundreds of vendors operating in the market, are active MC lincence holders and allowed to sell fruits on the premises.

He alleged that illegal vendors often throw waste in the open. “Every day, the market committee lifts around 25 tonne of waste. Challan for littering will begin once we have more staff,” said the Market Committee Administrator.

The vendors also encroach upon the parking area. “Barrier gates will be installed on all eight points to restrict their entry. We are also planning to introduce paid parking in near future,” he added.

He highlighted the Punjab and Haryana High Court taking a suo motu cognisance of Chandigarh Tribune’s July 24 report flagging the pathetic condition of the mandi, saying that the committee has since taken several steps to improve the conditions.

“We have completely banned illegal vendors between 9 am and 6 pm daily. We are facing a shortage of staff in the enforcement wing but will recruit 16 new employees. Once the recruitment process is complete, we will depute them in shifts to ban illegal vending 24x7,” he said.

Upgrade in the offing

The UT Chief Engineer also has held a meeting to discuss the condition of the mandi. As per the new plan, a drainage system will be put in place akin to Indore Mandi.

Notably, the case was heard in the High Court on Wednesday. The Court expressed unhappiness over the steps taken to improve the state of affairs so far, asking the UT Administration to explain why it failed to provide temporarily practical arrangements to maintain hygiene in the mandi.

Despite the claims of the officers, residents remain sceptic. Hitesh Puri, a regular visitor, said the stink in the market had become unbearable. “We have no choice but to buy vegetables walking through filth and muck in the rainy season,” he added.

When contacted, Chandigarh MP Manish Tewari said the HC had already taken cognisance of the condition of the mandi. “We should wait for the outcome of the judicial process. However, we do hope that the livelihood question of long-time vendors qua the need to maintain cleanliness and hygiene would be balanced out,” he added.

Former MP Pawan Kumar Bansal, meanwhile, said the mandi had degenerated to a state comparable with the Dadumajra dumping ground. “The stench of rotting produce, uncollected garbage and broken roads reflect years of neglect. Citizens have been promised improvement time and again, yet the ground reality remains unchanged,” he added.

Aam Aadmi Party’s local unit president Vijay Pal Singh also expressed concern about the number of illegal vendors, adding, “Vendors occupy most of the area, leaving little walking space for visitors. There is no clear policy or will to solve them.”

City BJP president Jatinder Pal Malhotra said work to revamp the mandi was delayed due to rains and would start soon.

Despite repeated calls and messages Hari Kallikkat, Secretary, Agriculture and Marketing Board Chandigarh remained incommunicado.