People complain about poor sanitation at Night Food Bazaar in Visakhapatnam

Used food plates which were dumped in the surroundings at night food bazaar at Old Jail Road in Visakhapatnam.
| Photo Credit: V. RAJU

Mr. Bipin Jain told the GVMC council meeting that several morning walkers have been complaining to him about the poor sanitation in the area. He said that the entire stretch is emanating foul smell as the vendors and the customers littering the place with used plates. He said that during nights, severe traffic problem is arising due to the irregular parking of vehicles. Mayor G. Hari Venkata Kumari has assured to look into the issue.

Vendors say the main problem at the food court is the use of the the place by unauthorised hawkers. There are about 120 vendors who have got their licence from the Urban Community Development (UCD) wing of the GVMC and have been running their stalls. However, right now, there are about 160 to 170 vendors, as over 40 to 50 vendors have put their stalls without permission, allege the members of the vendors association. With the unauthorised vendors, the entire stretch has become more congested, they complain.

“We have been running our stalls since the year 2019. Gradually many outsiders have started to enter without any licence. The unauthorised vendors are least bothered about the sanitation. They are being protected by some political leaders and none dare to question them,” said a stall owner and a member of the Old Jail Road Food Court Welfare Association.

According to Mr. Satish, a morning walker, most of the times, the sanitary workers clean the surroundings in the morning. However, bad smell keep on emanating in the surroundings during morning hours. Moreover, the footpaths have been badly damaged, he said, adding that fines should be imposed on the vendors if they fail to ensure proper sanitation.

When enquired about the sanitation, many vendors in turn complain that though adequate number of dustbins are placed, many people tend to throw their food wastes or drop their used plates on the footpaths or to the side of the road.

“We keep on telling them to use dustbins, but some customers ignore us. Some take the plates and leave it at some distance. There is also problem with people who come in inebriated condition and litter wastes and wash hands on the road,” said a stall owner at Night Food Bazaar.

Zonal Commissioner, IV, Siva Prasad, said that every early morning, they depute six workers to clean the entire stretch. Admitting that food wastes are generally dumped sometimes, he said that there are adequate number of dustbins placed with the vendors.