Kolkata: Fish market shade collapses in Salt Lake, 5 traders injured

KOLKATA: Five fish vendors were injured when a portion of a corrugated shade collapsed at the Baisakhi fish and vegetable market in Salt Lake on Monday morning.
The incident took place around 8.30am when people were thronging the fish and vegetable stalls at the market.

The injury or casualty figure would have been higher, had the shade collapsed on customers, instead of the vendors.
According to some witnesses, a portion of the corrugated shade suddenly started tilting and collapsed on the platform where the fish vendors sit and do business.
"There was a cracking sound and then the roof suddenly collapsed on us. Luckily, we escaped with some minor cuts and bruises," said Joydeb Mondal, one of the injured fish sellers.
Cops rushed to the spot while other traders rescued those, who had been trapped, and took them to a nearby hospital. The injured traders were treated and then discharged from the hospital.
After the incident, the police made announcements on microphone at the market, urging both the customers and vendors to be safe on Tuesday till the landfall of cyclone Sitrang.
Locals said that the corrugated roof, which was erected on bamboo poles, had been in a dilapidated state for a long time. "The bamboo support may have eroded due to mice gnawing into it," said a local.
Baisakhi market committee president, Mrityunjoy Singha, said they were told by the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation (BMC) authorities that the vendors would be shifted and rehabilitated at a nearby mall complex but nothing had happened till date.
"We have not got any help from the local civic authorities. The vendors had set up this makeshift roof structure by spending their own money," Singha said.
Local councillor and BMC deputy mayor, Anita Mondal, said that there could had been a major disaster, had it been a day earlier on Sunday.
"It is a very unfortunate incident. I had raised the issue with the civic authorities several times so that the market traders can properly do business under a secure roof. But the issue still remains in a stalemate situation," Mondal said.
Civic authorities said that rehabilitation of the traders to an adjacent mall complex is a sub judice matter. "Luckily, the traders escaped with not so grave injuries. We are with the traders and trying to lend all our help and support to them. We will take necessary measures as per the law," said BMC mayor Krishna Chakraborty said. The Baisakhi vegetable and fish market has been one of the oldest community markets in Salt Lake for over 40 years.