Once a model facility in Nagapattinam, Bharathi Fish Market turning into a health hazard

The Bharathi Fish Market adjacent the Anna statue, adjacent to the New Bus Stand, is among the 2 large unrecorded food markets serving Nagapattinam town. For decades, it has been the superior trading constituent for fisherfolk from coastal hamlets specified arsenic Nambiyar Nagar and Samanthampettai.

Though a due gathering was constructed astir 15 years agone to modernise the facility, the market’s information contiguous tells a antithetic story. With much than 40 tiny stalls wherever fisherwomen merchantability caller food caught from the Bay of Bengal, the marketplace bustles with customers betwixt 8.30 a.m. and 2 p.m. each day. Yet, vendors accidental they run amid foul odour, stagnant waste, and deficiency of basal infrastructure.

Choked with waste

The Buckingham Canal, which runs close beside the market, has go a root of misery for some vendors and buyers. Plastic discarded and debris person accumulated successful the waterway, emitting a persistent stench. “The canal has not been desilted oregon cleaned for years,” said R. Vimala, a food seller.

“The odor is unbearable and it spreads disease. We person nary prime but to enactment here, breathing this each day. Every food marketplace should person a tiny acold retention portion truthful food tin beryllium stored safely astatine the extremity of the day,” said M. Velayutham of Nambiyar Nagar, a societal activistic from the sportfishing community. “Though determination are toilets, they request modernisation and regular maintenance,” helium said.

R.M.P. Rajendra Nattar, president of the Indian National Fishermen Union, said the marketplace was initially designed arsenic a exemplary facility. “The Bharathi Fish Market was built successful a modern manner, but it has been neglected. It’s a ample analyzable — food is sold successful front, the nutrient marketplace is adjacent, and the rootlike marketplace follows. Yet, lone the food conception remains unhygienic,” helium said.

He urged greater transparency successful store allotments and a regulated strategy for weighing and pricing fish.

While the different unrecorded food marketplace astatine Azad Market — utilized by fishermen from Akkaraipettai and adjacent villages — struggles with mediocre facilities, pricing issues person kept vendors astatine bay. “We person the infrastructure but nary upkeep. The rates fixed by the municipality are excessively high, truthful galore similar to merchantability extracurricular the market,” said Mr. Nattar.

Municipal officials acknowledged the mediocre sanitation but blamed the vendors. “Some sellers dump food discarded straight into the canal, making desilting astir impossible. A afloat clean-up of the agelong is being planned,” an authoritative said.