Mosquito menace forces shutdown of market yard

  • | Wednesday | 21st February, 2018

Rajkot: Mosquito menace forced the shutdown of Saurashtra’s largest market yard near Bedi village in Rajkot on Tuesday. Mosquito breeding has been rampant near the market yard because of sewage water accumulating in the Aji riverbed flowing near it.Traders and labourers also blocked the Morbi-Rajkot highway for about an hour. So, there is a possibility that work could begin from Wednesday,” said Sakhiya.According to traders, farmers come to market yard with their produce during evening and labourers work till late night to unload it in the yard.Atul Kamani, president of the commission agents association at the market yard, said, “It became difficult for us to even have a cup of tea inside the market yard because of mosquitoes in the evening. People of Bedi village also joined them as they too have been complaining of the mosquito menace to the civic authority since long but no action was taken.Rajkot is among the smart cites in the race for cleanliness award in this year’s cleanliness survey. In the end, RMC said it is not under their jurisdiction.”

Rajkot: Mosquito menace forced the shutdown of Saurashtra’s largest market yard near Bedi village in Rajkot on Tuesday. This, perhaps, is the first-of-its-kind incident in the country where traders have closed the market yard because of mosquitoes.Traders were forced to take the step as despite repeated representations, the Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC) and district collector’s office did not address the problem of mosquitoes over past few months.The closure affected trading business and farmers who had come from Rajkot, Morbi, Wankaner, Junagadh and Visavadar. They will have to wait for another day to sell their produce. Mosquito breeding has been rampant near the market yard because of sewage water accumulating in the Aji riverbed flowing near it.Traders and labourers also blocked the Morbi-Rajkot highway for about an hour. People of Bedi village also joined them as they too have been complaining of the mosquito menace to the civic authority since long but no action was taken.Rajkot is among the smart cites in the race for cleanliness award in this year’s cleanliness survey. But the newly constructed market yard in Bedi village on Morbi road has been haunted by mosquitoes with several labourers of the 700-odd working there complaining of frequent fever.Rajkot APMC chairman D K Sakhiya, who is also BJP district president, said, “This is a serious problem which is the result of drainage water of the entire Rajkot city passing through this village.” Ironically, the riverfront project that the RMC has proposed also passes through this stretch.“After the market shutdown, deputy collector and his team has arrived and started to clean the portion of Aji river and started fogging in the area. So, there is a possibility that work could begin from Wednesday,” said Sakhiya.According to traders, farmers come to market yard with their produce during evening and labourers work till late night to unload it in the yard.Atul Kamani, president of the commission agents association at the market yard, said, “It became difficult for us to even have a cup of tea inside the market yard because of mosquitoes in the evening. Eateries have to shut shops before dusk. We had warned RMC and the collector’s office but we only got assurance. In the end, RMC said it is not under their jurisdiction.”

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