Pune: Residents of Pune Camp have expressed serious concerns about the unhygienic conditions surrounding Chhatrapati Shivaji Market, located in the heart of the area. They have blamed Pune Cantonment Board (PCB) for not taking adequate measures to address the problem. Schools in the area have also reported the deplorable conditions in and around the market.Residents claimed the chicken shop owners in the market are disposing of waste improperly, including chicken parts and feathers, onto the streets.“The smell is unbearable. The Cantonment board lacks a concrete plan to tackle this issue. We have been enduring this problem for years,” said Dr Yusuf Adeeb, a resident of the area.The market is home to about 20 chicken shops and 15 fish shops. Although a PCB garbage collection vehicle collects waste daily, residents feel that these efforts are insufficient.Adeeb further said several birds gather to pick up chicken pieces thrown on the streets near the market.“It is unfortunate that the cantonment officials have not been able to resolve this basic civic issue for the last few years. Many of us pursued this matter but in vain,” he added.Murtuza Poonawala, another resident and activist from the area, said it is extremely difficult for students of the schools in the vicinity. “Unhygienic market conditions are directly related to the health of the school students. Even parents have complained about it to the school authorities in the past, but there has been no solution,” Poonawala said.Besides hygiene issues, a lack of parking spaces outside the market is a cause for concern. Visitors to the market often leave their vehicles on the road, resulting in traffic congestion.Pramod Kadam, head of the PCB health department, did not respond to phone calls and messages till the time of going to press.Manzoor Shaikh, president of the Shivaji Market vendors association, said, “We have advised all chicken centre operators to maintain hygiene inside their shops and outside the market premises. We will look into the matter.”
