Waste and a disgusting odour welcome customers at the fruit and vegetable market of Islamabad, whereas encroachments and illegal stalls in the premises of the market have further worsened the situation. Citizens and traders were in anguish at the performance of Capital Development Authority (CDA).
“CDA is a cancer which is only making money and does nothing. This is one of the largest fruit and vegetable market in Pakistan but there is no proper mechanism to look after the venue and to overcome the problems faced by traders and customers,” Syed Siraj Agha, President Fruit Mandi Traders Welfare Association, told Pakistan Today.
Showing distress upon the circumstances, Agha said CDA had signed the contract with a person for Rs 10 million for taking out the garbage.
“But I think it was a farce,” he said.
Siraj added that due to the bad governance of CDA, illegal stalls were working in the market. “Residents of I-11 katchi abadi and a CDA inspector are responsible for all this,” he said.
Siraj alleged, “The CDA inspector is taking bribe from these vendors. He receives a few hundred rupees and allows them to install illegal stalls, whereas the legal stall holders had to pay a lot more. There were thousands of illegal stalls and the CDA inspector was therefore earning in millions.”
Fruit Mandi Traders Welfare Association President demanded that higher authorities should take strict action against the responsible official.
Essa Khan, a trader said, “This market deals in both retail and wholesale, and customers come in large numbers. People come from remote areas to buy and sell vegetables and fruits. But there is no drinking water in the market.”
Essa said it was the duty of the CDA to provide necessary facilities to buyers and sellers.
“Our market was just like other markets of Islamabad and it should be treated like them. All the developments funds which the CDA get for developments projects should be divided equally in all sectors without any discrimination. We pay a huge amount in the name of taxes but in return, we get nothing,” he said.
Expressing his views, Muhammad Ishfaq Shah, a fruit dealer in the market said, “The civic agency has never paid any attention to resolve our problems. Whenever it rains, we have to face a tough time. There is no proper shelter, and we use polythene sheets to cover our stock. Even the sewerage system is not up-to-date,” he added.
The fruit and vegetable market of Islamabad had a massive number of clients from the ICT. Citizens visit the scene to haggle for their domestic needs but most of the times they regret their decision to even come to the market.
Malik Arsalan, an I-10 resident, said, “The situation is a source of shame for the CDA and other authorities who take an oath to serve the country and its people”.