Raiganj: Residents, shop owners protest due to lack of garbage management at Kunor Haat

Raiganj: In the absence of proper garbage management, the Kunor Haat (village market) in Kaliyaganj of North Dinajpur district has become a hub of pollution and health concerns for locals and visitors alike.

The market premises, which remains littered with garbage, has caused widespread dissatisfaction among the residents and shop owners of the area. On Wednesday evening, locals staged a protest demanding better infrastructure and an effective waste management system from the haat authorities.

Rina Das, a shop owner at Kunor Haat, voiced her frustration, stating: “Our Kunor Haat operates every Wednesday but the market premises are swept only once a week, on Tuesdays. Garbage has been dumped in front of my shop for a long time and a foul smell emanates from it. Customers avoid my shop, fearing health risks.”

She also added that due to the lack of proper infrastructure, some sellers are forced to occupy nearby roads, leading to traffic congestion.

The residents of Kunor have also raised concerns over the absence of basic amenities like toilets in the haat premises. Suman Malakar, a local resident, highlighted: “The owner collects revenue from the sellers but no toilet facilities have been introduced in this historically significant market.

Visitors often use nearby open spaces for urinating, causing serious health hazards for residents. Garbage dumped in front of Kunor High School is putting students’ health at risk.” Swapnanil Bhowmik, owner of Kunor Haat, assured the protesters that the grievances would be addressed promptly and stated: “We have heard the difficulties faced by the residents. Very soon,

toilets will be constructed

for the haat visitors.

We will also introduce a regular garbage disposal system and improve other infrastructures to

resolve these issues.”