C Shivakumar
Chennai:
The flower market in Asia’s largest perishable goods market is slowly dying a painful death and is being converted into a den of prostitution by anti-social elements due to lopsided government policies, lack of proper infrastructure and basic amenities.
The flower traders who left their shops in Parrys Badrain Street after the government directive in 1996 to move to Koyambedu Wholesale Market now are cursing themselves for adhering to the orders. “How we wish we did not adhere to the directives, our business would have thrived in Parry’s like those who did not leave their business,” says Koyambedu Wholesale Flower Market Association Secretary Mookiah.
Interestingly, despite court directives asking flower traders from Parry’s to be moved to the wholesale market, no action has been taken, says Mookaaiah.
The dwindling fortunes of the traders could be surmised with the shops in upper floor of the market remaining closed and is used by flesh traders. When Express contacted the Chief Administrative Officer of Market Management Committee P Senthil Kumar he confirmed that he had received complaints about flesh trade in the top floor of flower market. “I have informed the member secretary of Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority and we are building a ramp to use it for business purposes so that such activities won’t prevail. We have even asked the police to keep a vigil in this regard,” he says.
Now with the Pooja season set to start, the traders are worried that their business will dip as the E road which leads to the flower market entrance is closed due to ongoing Metro Rail works. During rains, the flower market area is flooded and women traversing through a narrow road fall into the water,” says another trader and adding that many have fallen into the water. “If they can work out at a narrow 10-feet way, it would be a blessing in disguise for us,” says Mookiah.
The business during the pooja season is about 10-fold the size of daily business. If a shop sells anywhere between 100 kg to 500 kg a day, during Pooja season it will be selling anywhere between 1,000 kg to 5,000 kg a day, says Mookiah raising concern over the lack of connectivity to flower market. The lack of connectivity is slowly forcing the flower exporters and businessmen to choose Parrys over Koyambedu market. “The flowers in Parrys may be costly, but I don’t have a choice,” says Kannan of Kannan Floral Exports.
MMC officials say that the traders have now been accorded permission to build their own road in Gate number 19. The road in gate number 19 is a kutcha road with a huge mound of garbage dumped behind the flower market, “We want the waste not to be dumped here,” says Mookiah, whose association does not have a single representative in the MMC. But the chief administrative officer said that the dumping of waste behind the flower market is a temporary one. “Till the court case is over, we have no other alternative but to dump the waste here. However, we have asked Ramky Enviro Engineers to clear the garbage during the daytime. If they haven’t done then we will impose fine on them,” he added
Chennai:
The flower market in Asia’s largest perishable goods market is slowly dying a painful death and is being converted into a den of prostitution by anti-social elements due to lopsided government policies, lack of proper infrastructure and basic amenities.
The flower traders who left their shops in Parrys Badrain Street after the government directive in 1996 to move to Koyambedu Wholesale Market now are cursing themselves for adhering to the orders. “How we wish we did not adhere to the directives, our business would have thrived in Parry’s like those who did not leave their business,” says Koyambedu Wholesale Flower Market Association Secretary Mookiah.
Interestingly, despite court directives asking flower traders from Parry’s to be moved to the wholesale market, no action has been taken, says Mookaaiah.
The dwindling fortunes of the traders could be surmised with the shops in upper floor of the market remaining closed and is used by flesh traders. When Express contacted the Chief Administrative Officer of Market Management Committee P Senthil Kumar he confirmed that he had received complaints about flesh trade in the top floor of flower market. “I have informed the member secretary of Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority and we are building a ramp to use it for business purposes so that such activities won’t prevail. We have even asked the police to keep a vigil in this regard,” he says.
Now with the Pooja season set to start, the traders are worried that their business will dip as the E road which leads to the flower market entrance is closed due to ongoing Metro Rail works. During rains, the flower market area is flooded and women traversing through a narrow road fall into the water,” says another trader and adding that many have fallen into the water. “If they can work out at a narrow 10-feet way, it would be a blessing in disguise for us,” says Mookiah.
The business during the pooja season is about 10-fold the size of daily business. If a shop sells anywhere between 100 kg to 500 kg a day, during Pooja season it will be selling anywhere between 1,000 kg to 5,000 kg a day, says Mookiah raising concern over the lack of connectivity to flower market. The lack of connectivity is slowly forcing the flower exporters and businessmen to choose Parrys over Koyambedu market. “The flowers in Parrys may be costly, but I don’t have a choice,” says Kannan of Kannan Floral Exports.
MMC officials say that the traders have now been accorded permission to build their own road in Gate number 19. The road in gate number 19 is a kutcha road with a huge mound of garbage dumped behind the flower market, “We want the waste not to be dumped here,” says Mookiah, whose association does not have a single representative in the MMC. But the chief administrative officer said that the dumping of waste behind the flower market is a temporary one. “Till the court case is over, we have no other alternative but to dump the waste here. However, we have asked Ramky Enviro Engineers to clear the garbage during the daytime. If they haven’t done then we will impose fine on them,” he added
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