(Top and below) Garbage dumped on a sewer line near daily market at Chandrasekharpur in Bhubaneswar. Pictures by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, Sept. 26: The BDA fish market at Chandrasekharpur in front of Omfed Square has created traffic problems for the residents of ward No. 9. Moreover, garbage generated by the market is choking the drainage channel in the area.

“The cabbage leaves and other rotten vegetables are dumped in the drainage channel, choking the flow of drain water,” said Nayan Sahoo, a local resident.

Moreover, lack of a proper parking place around the daily market has created severe traffic problem. The schoolchildren are the worst sufferers.

“It takes half an hour to pass through the market as vehicles are parked there leaving the area crowded,” said Nirali Mishra, a student.

In the past three months, four accidents have taken place there because of traffic congestion.

“The road remains so busy, that chances of more accidents cannot be ruled out,” said Nirmalya Senapati, another resident.

Earlier, authorities of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation had shifted the market to a place near Buddha Park. But, the vendors returned citing heavy losses. “As per the authorities direction, we shifted to the new place. However, soon after that we started incurring heavy loss as the connecting road is in a bad shape. At the same time, the vending zone near the market took a toll on our business,” said Niranjan Sahoo, president of the BDA fish market. Moreover, he said the vendors were ready to shift to new place provided the vending zone, fish market and vegetable market are shifted simultaneously, so that their business is not hampered.

Local councillor Kalpana Samal said the chances of rainwater inundating the residential areas were growing as the drainage channel remained choked.

“Earlier, I had drawn the authority’s attention, but they took temporary steps such as cleaning of the channel. We need a permanent solution to the problem,” she said.

On the other hand, mayor Ananta Narayan Jena said that despite the authority’s attempt to shift the daily market, inaction on part of the police department has resulted in encroachment.

“I had approached the police department to take concrete action against the encroachers. So far the choked drain is concerned, we will take necessary action to ensure that the garbage is not dumped in the drain,” he said.