Fish market menace: No place for shopkeepers

PATIALA: The municipal corporation here, which is already late in shifting the fish market even after judicial directions, is expected to delay the Punjab and Haryana high court orders even further. With this, the Patiala Municipal Corporation (PMC) would fail to provide the city residents a much-needed sigh of relief.
The delay could be on the back of the fact that the PMC is facing opposition from the residents at the new site too. The PMC decided to shift the fish market from its present spot to Ghalouri Gate after the high court in June last year ordered to vacate the residential areas within six months.

The residents near Ghalouri Gate raised their voices and protested on Monday against the PMC's move to provide temporary arrangements for the fish market at the proposed site.

With this, the PMC officials are finding it difficult to continue with the construction, which includes building shed, as the residents of Patak Vihar Colony resisted against moving the fish market here.

Patiala Mayor Sanjeev Sharma reached the venue on Monday and in a bid to comfort the residents assured them that the new market would be shifted a few metres away from the proposed site.

Notably, a two-judge bench of high court had passed the shifting orders on June 9, 2017 in the presence of PMC commissioner Gurpreet Singh Khaira. The court ordered to shift the fish market from the residential area and provide the basic amenities to the shopkeepers.

The state government under the tenure of SAD-BJP decided to shift fish market after the natives of various residential colonies objected to the fish market creating a nuisance for the common public.

The residents of Bharat Nagar were most affected by the market. The government then decided to shift the market to Ghalouri Gate. There are around 200 shopkeepers, who are unwilling to shift to the new place.

The shopkeepers, who were currently running their business near residential areas including local factory area, Bharat Nagar, and opposite district court complex, were now seen looking for places where their businesses can flourish.

"There was no protest at all, however, some residents raised their objections against the establishment of the fish market here. They claimed that near the proposed site of the fish market there is a religious shrine. It was then the mayor directed to shift the new site a few meters away from the proposed one," said an MC councilor Sandeep Malhotra.

"Around 500 sq yard area has been selected for temporary arrangements to shift the fish market at Sanauri Adda. The shopkeepers here will be provided all the basic amenities. We have six acres of land that belong to the PMC and out of this 500 sq yd have been selected. The estimated cost to complete this project of temporary facilities here is Rs 11 lakh", said GS Walia executive engineer of PMC.