The heritage fish market at Bazaar Road, Bandra (W) has no toilet and no drinking water. The market is over 100 years old and never in these years was a toilet facility provided. There is a BMC tap inside the market but there is never water in it.
Around 20-30 fisherwomen sell fish at the market every day from morning 10 am-2 pm and in the evening from 5 pm-9:30 pm. According to the shopkeepers at the mutton market, which is right behind the fish market, there was a toilet built initially which was broken as it was filled with garbage. But after that nothing was built and till today, after years together, there has been no toilet. No political party or BMC has taken up the initiative to build a toilet.
Currently, there are two toilets behind the chicken shops which are a little beyond the fish market. But those toilets are extremely filthy without light and water. They are always filled with waste which is not flushed away. So, the fisherwomen have to use these dirty toilets in the dark without a single drop of water.
A shopkeeper over there commented, “I have my shop for 35 years just opposite the fish market but never ever have I seen a cleanup drive by the BMC or any authority at the market. In fact, due to lack of water and toilet, the fisherwomen carry their own water to drink.”
Another shopkeeper admitted, “In my 40 years of experience just beside this market, I have never seen the concrete structure of the market being renovated or at least maintained. It is as it is! Just because the British have built it, the structure is strong.” But, how long will this structure remain firm? It may collapse one day as it has become weak and stills were already installed in the past to support the structure.
The fisherwomen themselves claimed, “There is no toilet for us for years inside the market. We come every morning from different places like Khar Danda, Chimbai, Chium, Bandra, and so on. And we have to manage nature’s call as there is no facility.” These fisherwomen work for at least 4-5 hours every day at a stretch and in that even if they get nature’s call, they have to manage somehow.
The residents staying just beside the fish market claimed, “We have seen the market grow since years. The Government built sheds to shelter the fisherwomen during rains. But the structure is the same and clean toilets are not there at all.”
Another resident said, “Cleanliness is not there. The whole market is unhygienic as there is inadequate water to clean, and the garbage is thrown on the road and outside the dust bin. The whole market stinks so the quality of fish is affected.”
This fish market is the largest fish market of Bandra where people from all over Mumbai come to buy fish every day. The fisherwomen have been serving thousands of customers by selling fish since decades yet there has been no cleanliness, no hygiene, and no toilet and water facility ever. These fisherfolk have to do their business in filthy conditions and use the only two toilets which are never cleaned and always surrounded by garbage. It is also a question of women’s dignity for they have to urinate in those toilets which do not have proper doors and electricity. Also, with men loitering all around the place, it is a question of the respect of women! Our honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself aims to provide toilets for women so that their dignity in society is not hampered. Then, why are the fisherwomen not protected in a respected area like Bandra? Why is there not a single clean toilet for these women for 100 years? Are we going against the Prime Minister’s goals?
We are grateful to the authorities concerned for having built the shed to protect the fisherwomen from the rains. But it is high time now that a toilet needs to be built and water facility implemented inside the market so that the fisherfolk can do their business with ease in healthy conditions. Never has a political party done a whole clean up at the market. Therefore we request honourable MLA Ashish Shelar and the political authority of the Bazaar Galli respected Mr. Raja Babar to do something for the betterment of the society and protect the old heritage structure which is an honour of Mumbai. Swachch Bharat Abhiyan begins with Clean Toilets for women! Let us protect those who give us fish food to eat.
