Hygienic Fish Markets: Fashion of the Day
The wind of globalization is
introducing new concepts like air-conditioned vegetable and fish markets by
private parties providing jobs to entrepreneurial youth. At the same time we
have Pondicherry’s over crowded
Main market, a place you have to
plough your way in a stream of sweat and foul smell. Ever increasing garbage
accumulation poses problems for municipal sanitary workers who toil tirelessly
to keep market surroundings clean. The Lorries that bring the daily
requirements for market and small vehicles that bring fish struggle to catch
space with consumers who in a haste to park as they please in the entrances of
the market.
This is a scene of chaos with increase in population. In Pondicherry
region we have fish markets in Pondicherry, Muthialpet, Ariyankuppam,
Nellithoppu, Madukarai and Villiyanur and temporary markets have sprung up in
roadsides at many sub urban places. Nowadays people are looking for hygiene in
every aspect of life and consumer awareness is at its peak. Further the
perishable products must be sold in haste thereby fish vendors loose their
revenue. The setting up of cost price shops by private parties and cooperative
institutions too jumping into that bandwagon not to be left behind is a telling
tale of our times. Vegetable stalls that offer fresh vegetables in
air-conditioned surroundings have cropped up. Chickens and Mutton are sold in
shops making it easy for people to buy at various places.
But in spite of all this the fish market, vegetable market, flower
market and small shops that sell from provisions to brooms are within a limited
space of the main market restricted by various constraints making it impossible
to expand.
In such scenario a new Air
Conditioned Fish for You shop set by an enterprising young educated youth
K.Ponnambalam of Vanarapet, that has come up at the beginning of the Mahatma
Gandhi Road near Railway station is refreshing experiment breaking from
past.
A student from nearby Veerampattinam fisher-men village of Pondicherry,
P.Saravanane who is the 4 th son of a traditional fisherman, doing his second
year in doctorate in fish pathology at the Sterling University of Scotland U.K
having completed his M.FSc. (Master of Fisheries Science) at Central Marine
Fisheries Research Institute Cochin on his visit to his home felt that fish
markets here must be improved to make it places of hygiene in order to attract
better prices for fish apart from consumer convenience and comfort of buying in
a cleaner environment.
To wash sands and filth in the fish catches that comes to market,
P.Saravanane suggests setting up of a one-ton capacity of filtering steel tank
at the entrance of the market. Immediately after washing fresh icing must be
done for the preservation. The fish market should be completely closed and centrally
air conditioned for maintaining low temperature, which can reduce the quick
spoilage of fish. Hygienic and decent dressing for the fish vendors encouraged.
Separate cabins with a washable fish-displaying table should be constructed for
selling the fish and be provided with a clear drainage channel, which
eventually leads to a common drainage canal. Display table must have fiberglass
doors so that fishes can be displayed on an ice layer in the glass cabinet.
Each cabin must be given separate pipe connections for easy and quick washing
of cabin before and after selling. A hygienic and eco-friendly bag for packing
the fish is introduced. There should be a high capacity and quality flake ice
machine inside the market for preserving the fish and also for the display
unit. Definite control measures should be taken for fly and other insects. It’s
also wise to have a cold storage room with two different temperatures like 4°c
and -20°c with clear racks and boxes for short time and long time storage of
fish respectively. The market should also be provided with two doors each one
for entry and exit. A separate fish cleaning room should be constructed with
same facility like fish selling area with a washable table with the provision
of tap water pipe connection for each fish dresser. Use of clean stainless
steel knife and other fish cutting instruments is encouraged. There should be
an exit in the fish dressing room so that the customers can directly exit the
market, says P.Saravanane who wants to see his hometown and its markets improve
to reach the western standards at least stage by stage.
Fish lovers are braving all ordeals in fish markets to buy their choice
and scared housewives wait for street vendors to bring fish to their doors. Let
us make their life not only less miserable but make it pleasant to both sellers
and buyers. Let Fish woman who carry head-loads of fish and are frowned upon
regain their self respect and dignity in pursuing their marketing with changing
needs of our times. Fish is wealth and not filth that comes to markets. Let
planners plan ultra modern fish markets, while private stalls come up every
where to cater the needs of growing population conscious of cleaner
environment.
Courtesy: The New Indian Express
28.08.2004
LOCAL ADMINISTRATION SECRETARY S.HEMACHANDRAN called me and Dr.SARAVANANE POOBALANE AND GAVE SHAPE TO THIS FISH MARKET INAUGURATED in 2014... TIL NOW YOU CAN SEE ONLY ICE IS BEING SOLD THERE, EVEN YESTERDAY I SAW THE BOARDS IN BOTH ENTRANCES... WHY CANT IT BE GIVEN TO FISHERMEN ........
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