Tamil Nadu - Others   

Anthiyur weekly shandy cries for improvement

Karthik Madhavan

There is no sewerage on the entire 7.51 acres; no platforms for vendors

INCONVENIENCE: Traders complain of lack of basic amenities at the shandy. - Photo: M. Govarthan

ANTHIYUR: It is the biggest and famous weekly shandy in Erode district. But these epitaphs belie the reality, for piles of waste, pools of dirty water and lack of amenities are the ones that greet a buyer.

Wastes of all kinds, plastic, vegetable wastes and removed feathers of chicken can be spotted everywhere. There is not one place where the vendors can dump them. So unhygienic is the place that the sellers sell their produce right next to dumped wastes.

There is no sewerage on the entire 7.51 acres. Pools of dirty water complement the wastes. And, there are no platforms for the vendors. Nor is there a roof.

Entry fee

The contractor, R. Subramaniam, who has taken on lease the shandy for Rs. 16 lakh complains of basic civic amenities. Even he does not have a shed to collect the entry fee.

"I've been demanding basic amenities where the sellers and buyers can meet in a human-friendly venue but to no avail," he laments. He has no place to safeguard the money he collects. "Every Monday night I don't sleep to keep an eye of the income," he says.

The Town Panchayat officials say that the things will soon change. "A big grant is on its way. With it we will install more lights, construct a sewerage system and compound the shandy," says Town Panchayat president A. G. Venkatachalam. At present the shandy has about 20 lights and efforts are on to add another 15.

Proposal

Proposal to construct platforms and sheds for the vendors and another one to construct a shopping complex on the periphery of the shandy are also on, he says. Very shortly the shandy will sport a new look, he adds.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Sand trading by bullock carts at eight points
Railway Police working on comprehensive security plan
A model crematorium
University launches MBA in Bangalore
Anthiyur weekly shandy cries for improvement
Pollachi college offers BEC course
DRDA gets over Rs. 8 crore for development projects
`Initiate measures to control chikungunya '
`Regularise daily wage earners'
Pondy wins award
Moderate inflow to reservoirs

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu