With the advent of the monsoon season, thousands of workers engaged in trading fruits and vegetables in the Sabzi Mandi of Islamabad become vulnerable to diseases due to the unhygienic conditions.
Sanitation of the area became deplorable as soon as the monsoons begin. The smell of rotten fruits and vegetables became intolerable and was the root cause of many diseases e.g. hepatitis, cholera and diarrhea. The most common disease most common among people working in the market was hepatitis.
Almost 22,000 people work there in the mornings, while above 600 people work as roadside vendors. These roadside vendors are more vulnerable to fatal diseases due to unhygienic conditions. The sewerage system, which was laid in the 80s and has not been improved or even repaired since then, fails to meet the requirements of the area.
A local trader, Naveed Khan, said that there was only one filtration plant in the whole area and people had no choice but to drink contaminated water which eventually affected health badly. As compared to other fruit and vegetable markets of the country, the cleanliness of this mandi was better, he said.
Islamabad Anjuman Wholesale Commission Agents General Secretary said due to an improper packing system, a great amount of fruits and vegetables were wasted. This waste was not properly managed, adding to the shabby condition of the market, he added. “Government authorities do visit frequently and continuously promise to improve the situation, but fail to make the promised changes.”
The general secretary said that an area for the dispensary has already been allocated by the authorities which would be built from the association’s fund. However, all the expenses on it would be borne by the trader’s association. Regarding the cleanliness of the market, he said they paid about Rs 5,000 to 10,000 monthly from their own fund to CDA workers, but still found roads littered with rotten fruits and vegetables.
“We are in danger of catching more diseases in monsoon season,” said Nazir Ahmad, 50, a roadside vendor. “This season affects us directly as we are sitting amongst garbage and filth,” he added.
“Absence of clean water made me a patient of hepatitis C,” said Gulsher Nadeem, a 60-year-old fruit trader.
When asked about the Capital Development Authority’s (CDA) preparation for the monsoons, an official said the basic reason for poor conditions in sabzi mandi was the non-cooperation of traders. He added that a contractor had deputed more than 130 workers to clean the market daily, but as the market opened, shopkeepers started throwing garbage in the sewerage lines. He said CDA Chairman Imtiaz Inayat Elahi also visited the Sabzi Mandi and directed numerous measures to ensure cleanliness and clean drinking water in the market.
