HYDERABAD: The discussion between various stakeholders of Gaddiannaram fruit market including farmers, commission agents and hamalis, with the Agricultural Marketing Department Director G Lakshmi Bai ended abruptly on Wednesday. Both sides disagreed on the matter regarding the shifting of the fruit market in Kothapet to Batasingaram Logistics Park temporarily.The commission agents were of the opinion that only 8 acre of land was available at Batasingaram. This wouldn’t be viable as there would be a heavy flow of trucks between January and June, the busy season.
Space only for 40 trucks?
“The shed constructed there can only accommodate 30-40 trucks, whereas 1,000-1,200 trucks enter the market during the season. There is neither loading and unloading facility available, nor is there a resting facility for labourers,” claimed Ashok Kumar, a commission agent. He clarified that they were all willing to shift to Koheda, if infrastructure was available at the permanent location spread across 178 acre of land.
‘Stocks will get spoiled’
Farmers were of the opinion that if fruits got spoiled due to rain or excess sunshine, commission agents wouldn’t pay them the right price.Bucchamma, a licensed hamali who has been working at the market for 35 years, said that the major sufferers would be 2,000 woman labourers working at Batasingaram, as it is located in the outskirts with no security.
Good facilities: Agri dept
Director Lakshmi Bai assured the stakeholders that Batasingaram was the best possible location available, as it is well connected and lies on the Kolkata-Chennai Highway. A police outpost, portable composting toilets, banking facility were being set up there, in addition to a primary health centre and a petrol bunk. She said the department was also planning to operate buses to ferry workers every day. Not convinced by her explanation, the stakeholders held a protest outside the gate of the department’s office in Himayatnagar.