The Rs. 3.24-crore wholesale fish market in Ukkadam Lorry Pet is yet to become functional. Former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had inaugurated through video conference the facility on September 24.
According to sources, the Tamil Nadu Fisheries Development Corporation Limited, which is the nodal agency for the project, had asked the Coimbatore Corporation to provide cold storage facility, connection to the nearest sewage treatment plant and bring more area under cement blocks on the 1.71-acre campus.
Without the cold storage facility the fish market would not function as the National Fisheries Development Board norms clearly say that without cold storage fish markets should not function. The connection to the sewage treatment facility was also mandatory.
Based on the instructions, the Corporation had initiated measures to construct cold storage facility at Rs. 10 lakh. The 600-plus sq.ft. room that would turn cold storage would store between four and five tonne fish.
This was more than the current required quantity of one tonne to two tonnes a day because it was being designed keeping in mind the expansion plans in the future.
The Corporation would drain the sewage from the market to the main sewerage line that took sewage to the Ukkadam sewage treatment plant. This was not a major work.
The sources said that the Corporation had decided to spend the money for the cold storage from its resources because the National Fisheries Development Board had sanctioned its quota of Rs. 2.25 crore.
The wholesale market housed 47 enclosures for as many traders who would do business there. The market had facility for auctioning fish, an ATM facility, canteen, etc.
The traders were at present functioning from a place close to the abattoir there in a temporary facility.
The sources said that the once the Corporation completed its work, which was expected to take another fortnight, the Tamil Nadu Fisheries Development Corporation Limited would place the issue before its board to finalise the modalities of running the market.
Only then it would be known if the Corporation planned to let the market on contract to the highest bidder or directly auction the shops while retaining the maintenance job.
As and when the market would start hosting the traders it was expected to provide the much-needed hygienic atmosphere, said H.S. Bawa of the Kovai Mavatta Meen Vyaparigal Sangam.
