Patipukur fish market: A lost legacy

The accumulation of garbage coupled with overcrowding makes the Patipukur fish market a consumers’ nightmare. The only way out, feel residents and shopowners, would be for KMC to undertake its renovation as soon as possible. Satrajit Sen and Jahirul Haque Kolkata, May 26: It was once a nodal centre for fish trade in the region. Over the years, though, the Patipukur fish market has gradually turned out to be one of the worst-maintained fish markets in the city. Its present condition notwithstanding, the market has a legacy of its own — having sold numerous varieties of fish brought from the eastern districts of Bengal (now Bangladesh). Formerly known as the BK Paul fish market, its present business is restricted to fish brought from various parts of the country - from Andhra Pradesh and other southern states, Orissa and Maharashtra. “Eighty per cent of our business is dependent on fish brought from other states,” said Apurbo Sarkar, joint secretary, BK Pal Bazaar Paikari Motsyo Byabsayee Samiti. At a time when the Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee government is trying its best to provide adequate exposure and generate opportunities for small traders, the 700 traders connected to this market have little opportunity to earn more. With the state government busy wooing foreign investors, the betterment of these small traders is all but forgotten. When was the market established The Patipukur market was established by the zamindars during the British regime, almost a century ago. Called the BK Paul market (he helped organise the market), it is a key player in regional fish trade. At present, the ownership is in the hands of those who claim to be a part of zamindar families. Many shop-owners don’t have the money to prove ownership but are still putting up stalls. A section of traders have even offered to purchase the property: “This is because the owners have not been showing interest in developing or renovating the market. We could have renovated it if was in our hands,” claimed one of the shopowners. The problems As the garbage is not disposed of properly, the sewers get clogged, compounding the consumers’ nightmare. The going gets tough for both the sellers as well as those visiting the market, especially in the rainy season. “We can’t walk through the market. With the drains get blocked, rain water accumulates on the roads,” said Dulal Saha, a buyer. At present, 25,000 people are dependent on this market. The market has 115 stalls whose owners are members of the traders’ Association. The surrounding areas also remain dirty as the goods that are imported from other areas are unloaded here. This creates massive traffic snarls. The cramped stalls and overcrowding also makes this market vulnerable to fires. The market had caught fire twice,” says Badal Saha, the joint secretary of the Association. “The dirt and the garbage littered everywhere make it difficult move about in this market, “ said a regular customer of the market. Local residents fear that unless the KMC takes up the renovation of the market, there could be an outbreak of diseases. What the association has to say The BK Paul Bazar Paikari Motshyo Byabshayee Samiti looks after the entire market. This committee was formed by the traders who invested their own resources without taking any help from the administration. Subhas Chakraborty, who was elected from that area, was the first to take the initiative to form such an association. The traders claimed they had informed the minister of fisheries of the situation, but nothing happened. “We went on submitting petitions but they did not pay any heed,” said Saha. The traders are also planning to buy the market from the existing owners but have not been able to do so as they could not manage to collect the required amount. “Subhas Chakraborty negotiated the price with the owners and it was decided it would be Rs 70 lakh. We paid them 20 lakh but couldn’t gather the remaining amount over the last 5 years” said Saha. The Association is planning to make an appeal to the administration for helping them out. KMCspeak The market falls under the ward number 3 of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation. Councillor of that ward Namita Das said that the KMC was not aware of the traders’ proposal to buy the market. “We are not aware of the deal,” she added. She also added that the Corporation will soon be undertaking the renovation of the market. “We are going to reconstruct the area. This would lessen the problems faced by both the buyers and the sellers” said Das. She, however, insisted that the sweepers were doing their job except when they were on leave. clean up work goes on regularly unless the sweepers are on leave. “They need to take leave. Only then is there no clean-up.” KMC needs to take matters into its own hands if this market is to retain its past glory. Originally published : http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=184637