PMC postpones drive to shut illegal weekly markets in city

PUNE: Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided to postpone the drive to take action against unauthorised weekly markets on open places, roads and footpaths. 

On citizens’ complaints about the nuisance of weekly markets, PMC’s Anti-Encroachment Department had given a 7-day deadline. Now, PMC Commissioner Shekhar Gaikwad has called a meeting of the weekly market organisers and State Agriculture Marketing Board to find a solution. 

Gaikwad said, “According to a government order, PMC will provide open land to the State Agriculture Marketing Board and they will give it to farmers’ organisations to set up weekly markets. However, that is not happening. The Board is not ready to take responsibility. In many parts of the city, the corporators took up the initiative and started weekly markets on open lands. Now, we have decided to call a meeting of weekly market organisers and board officials to sort out the problem. It is a good service and we don’t want to disturb it. We will find a solution to the land in this meeting.” 

The State government ordered in 2017 to start a weekly market in local self-government jurisdiction. 

The State Agriculture Marketing Board promoted weekly markets so that farmers could directly sell their produce to consumers and avoid exploitation by middlemen.

The PMC allotted open land to start markets. The first market was started in Model Colony. Corporators took the initiative and started weekly markets. 

As per the government order, the State  Agriculture Marketing Board and PMC should provide permission to start the markets. 

However, very few corporators  and organisers took permission from both agencies.  

The illegal markets create obstacles to traffic and residents. 

Now, residents are complaining to the corporation about the weekly market nuisance. So, the PMC Anti-Encroachment Department issued a public notice last week and gave seven days’ time to stop conducting unauthorised weekly markets or face action.