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Why customers are avoiding age old Russel market?

  • Russel market built by Britishers and there are 400 odd merchants at present. 
  • Lots of foreign customers and rich customers use to frequent the Russel market earlier, but from last two months, the number has dropped drastically.

why customers are avoiding age old Russel market

With tonnes of animal waste and garbage being dumped at Russel market built by Britishers, the 400 odd merchants say that it is not the rates or hot sun that is preventing customers from coming to this market. They revealed that the bad smell and house flies coming from the over 50 tonnes of animal waste dumped in the corner of the market is to be blamed for this.

The traders say, that they spend more on deodorising their shops and market area to contain the bad smell so that customers do not turn away, but these efforts fail as the smell that emanates from mounds of animal waste and garbage at Russel market is more powerful that the agarbhatti sticks and other deodorant products.

"Every day I use two boxes of incense sticks, still it is not enough. Lots of foreign customers and rich customers use to frequent the Russel market earlier, but from last two months, the number has dropped drastically. They fear getting infected as there are lots of house flies," said Mohammed Idrees Chaudry, General Secretary, Russel Market Traders Association.

Ganesh, a member of the association and wholesale flower merchant says, 400 odd shops were limping back to normalcy from the loss after the 2012 fire tragedy, but from last two years, the customers during summer have been on the decline as the smell is spreading faster.

"We have given several complaints to stop dumping the poultry waste next to the 87-year-old market, but there no response from BBMP and it continues to retain this spot as garbage collection point. The animal waste from all these areas is ending up here and the smell is unbearable. The flies that come from the waste, infect our flowers and fruits in the market," he said.

After the matter was taken up with Sarfaraz Khan, Special Commissioner for solid waste management in BBMP, he said the unity among the traders is not good. Earlier in the meeting, he has proposed to the traders to collective raise a demand and decide upon a place in the Shivajinagar ward or close to market so that an incinerator can be installed or to agree to send the waste to Malur for piggery unit, but the traders did not show much interest.

"If they come collectively BBMP we will show them the way. If they have agreed to pay a little to Malur piggery farmers, their issues would have been solved," he said.
 

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