Moodbidri: The weekly market building of Ashwathapura, which was once a bustling place, at least once a week- on Thursdays, is now ruined and has turned into a shelter place for stray cattle.
In the past, farmers from Tenkamijar village used to arrive here to market their produce. The building was constructed seven years ago by the APMC to facilitate growers to sell their produce, without any trade fee. However, as days passed by, none arrived here for business and the building which was constructed by spending several lakhs of rupees lay unused and abandoned.
The market building was constructed by the APMC at Ashwathapura with the help of Rs 10 lakh grants under R.I.D.F of the Mangalore APMC,at the request of the villagers.
Foundation for the building was laid on November 7, 2006 during the tenure of Krishnaraj Hegde of Moodbidri as Mangalore APMC President and the inauguration was held on October 18, 2007. Local farmers sold their produce in the market for the initial few days. But as days passed by, none arrived here.
In course of time, the building lay abandoned and proved a shelter for stray cattle and dogs. The faded name board, the broken cement sheet roofing, the market yard filled with bushes and shrubs all reveal the sorry state of affairs.
The market building stands as a mute testimony to the apathy of the authorities.
When Krishnaraj Hegde was contacted, he says the market building has been handed over to the Tenkamijar Panchayat. When the APMC office in Mangalore was contacted, the officials gave the information that most market buildings have been handed over to the respective panchayats.
However, when theTenkamijar Panchayat was contacted, they say an appeal has been made to the APMC in 2012 to hand over the building to the Panchayat as presently the land in survey no. 213 is in the name of the APMC. The Panchayat sources also say so far there has been no reply from the authorities.
The villagers want the APMC to act fast and give the building a facelift. Measures also need to be taken to entrust the building to the Panchayat which can use it in a profitable way, feel many.
