Safety Measures in Weakly Markets: a Case Study
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Safety measures in weakly markets: a case study. Dr. Mrs. Neha N. Chakradeo, Associate professor Dept. of Geography, Sangameshwar College; Solapur (M.S.) Published in CONTEMPORARY RESEARCH IN INDIA(ISSN 2231-2137):Special Issue :March 2015(Pg223-226) Abstract: In India nearly 68% population is in rural areas. The people are dependent on nearby towns and cities for their daily requirements as there are limited marketing facilities. The urban centres are inaccessible due to poor transport facilities, physiographic and climatic conditions. The weakly market center is a best solution for this problem. Villagers sell their products in the market and purchase their daily requirements. Thus, they are shop owners as well as consumers in the same market. The business hours are generally 4 to 6 hours. It has been noted in the present study that most of such markets are located at the open ground or near the bus depots along the road. There are no primary facilities like drinking water. Safety measures are also absent. There is a need for development of safety measures like fire engines, water tanks, proper roads to avoid any accident at these crowded areas. Key words: weakly markets, primary facilities, accidents. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Introduction:- In India, nearly 68percent population is in rural areas. Most of the villages have only one or two shops which fulfill their requirements to some extent; however, they have to depend on the towns and cities for the marketing services. There are various reasons for which the villagers cannot go to the cities frequently. Physiographic conditions, climatic conditions, distance and financial problems are some of the reasons which reduce the frequency to visit the urban centres. The best solution of this problem is “A Weakly Market”. A temporary market is centre is arranged at a village, which may be large in size or more accessible to nearby villages. An attempt has been made in the present study to find out the safety measures available in the weakly market canters. Present study is based on the observations in the Solapur district,[ M.S.] Obejectives-1] To find out the weekly market centers in Solapur District. 2] To find out the safety measures available in the market. 3] To suggest safety measures in the markets. Methodology and data collection—1] Literature review—various information was collected from internet as well as publications to understand the concept of weekly markets as well as the safety measures. 2] Data collection--- Data regarding the market centers in the district was collected from primary and secondary sources. It was further analyzed and interpreted. Study area- Physical background-- Solpur district of Maharashtra is located at the southeastern fringe of the Deccan Plateau. It lies in the Bhima Basin, a major tributary of the river Krishna. Phisiographically the district has 70% part as a plateau, 20% as a plain and remaining as a hills and ranges. The district is mainly drained by rivers Bhima, her tributary Seena along the left bank and river Nira along the right bank. Apart from these major streams, there are number of nalas and odhas which provide suitable sites for location of the settlements. Climate--Hot and dry climate in the summer with warm and dry winters prevail over the study area.. Summer maximum average temperatures are 39.9 degree Celsius during the day while the winters record minimum average temperatures 14.8 degree Celsius. The region experiences rainfall mostly during late summer under the influence of south west monsoon. Tough the average rainfall is 583.3 mm, it is unevenly distributed over the four summer months. It is uncertain with number of dry spells, some times more than 2 weeks. Some showers are recorded during the winter due to depressions developed over the Bay of Bengal and Arabian sea. Agriculture--The study area has a rich hinterland of agricultural products. Jowar, bajra, wheat, groundnuts, pulses, sugarcane, maize, cotton and horticultural products are cultivated in the district. There is a history of agro based industries like textile industry. Presently sugar industry is rapidly developing with 25 working factories. Development of irrigation facilities have helped to increase the area under cultivation of various crops. Administrative divisions-- The district has 11 tahasils with 1142 inhabited villages. There are only ten towns. The total population of the district is 4317756 (2011) is with area 14895 km2 . Solapur city has population - 951558-(2011) as per 2011 census with area179 km2. The density of the district is 290 persons per sq.km. In general the villages are scattered in the district. Most of the villages are located near the sources of water, since this is a part of ‘Rain shadow zone’ of India. The average density of the settlements in the district is 7.67 per 100 sq. kilometers. Analysis of the data— It is necessary to define ‘ a market’--- “A market, or marketplace, is regular gathering of people for the purchase and sale of provisions, livestock, and other goods. A place where buying and selling occurs.[1] In different parts of the world they may be referred to as a souk (from the Arabic), bazaar (from the Persian), a fixed mercado (Spanish) or itinerant tianguis (Mexico), or palengke (Philippines).” Weekly markets in the study area—As per the records of the district gazetteer of Solapur, there were 42 weakly markets in the district. ( Table -1) The largest weekly market was at Solapur held on every Tuesday. This is a distributing as well as a gathering centre. The producers themselves sell grain, earthenware, yarn, and garden produce as well as fire wood.. The sellers are mostly from the nearby villages. Cattle markets are also held near these markets. There is no change in the local market system. Attendance in various weekly markets varies from hundred persons to several thousand depending upon the importance of the market place. Barshi weekly market is one of the biggest markets in the district followed by Sholapur, Pandharpur and Akkalkot. TABLE--1 Distribution of weekly markets DIVISION MARKET PLACES Sholapur sub-division Begampur, Keshar Javalge, Mandrup, Mangrul, Mardi, Musti, Salgar, Sholapur, Vadale, and Valsang Barsi sub-division Barsi, Pangri, Tadvale, and Vairag Karmala sub-division Jinti, Karmala, Kem, Kondhej, Korti, Sonari. Tembhurni and Vangi; the Madha sub-division Angar, Ashti, Bemble, Kurdu, Kurduvadi, Kurul, Laul, Madha, Mohol, Narkhed, and Patkule Pandharpur sub-division Pandharpur sub-division Malsiras sub-division Akluj and Natepute Sangola sub-division Gherdi, Jaule, Nazre, and Sangola [Source- Gazetteer of Bombay Presidency, Volume XX, Sholapur District, 1884, p. 162.] The number of the weekly markets was increased to 110 in 1961 along with the special cattle markets aso increased to 23.The cattle markets at Sangola and Pandharpur are the biggest markets and are famous for khilar bullocks all over Maharashtra. The following statement gives the total number of weekly markets and cattle markets in each taluka in the district in 1961:- . ( Table -2 ) TABLE—2 Distribution of weekly markets Weekly Cattle Average Persons engaged Taluka markets markets attendance in trade Karmala 12 2 9,758 616 Barshi 14 3 12,179 1,366 Madha 9 3 15,855 815 Malshiras 14 2 11,894 1,559 Pandharpur 9 1 12,055 533 Mohol 7 3 17,583 803 North Sholapur 5 1 13,650 437 South Sholapur 6 -- 18,751 670 Sangola 15 1 7,897 611 [Source- Gazetteer of Sholapur District, 1971] A sizable amount of retail trade in the district is carried on, even at present, in the weekly markets. The urban centers like Sholapur city are served by the daily markets. TABLE—3 Distribution of weekly markets (2001) Taluka Weekly markets Karmala 10 Barshi 16 Madha 23 Malshiras 14 Pandharpur 13 Mohol 09 North Sholapur 06 South Sholapur 09 Sangola 19 Mangalwedha 38 Akkalkot 15 District Total 175 Source- Problems of fire hazards and their management in Solapur District’ Minor research project submitted to UGC by the author –March 2012 page no. 56 The above tables clearly suggest that even today, weekly markets are important for the rural areas for their daily requirements. In tahasils like Mangalwedha highest numbers of weekly markets indicate the need of such canters. Nearness to the urban center and transport facilities play important role for low number of such markets in tahasils like North Solapur. Infrastructure at weekly market centers— 1] Vendors have to sit on the road or make their own arrangement. 2] Roads are untidy, narrow, mostly stony. 3] Temporary arrangement of electricity with the help of open, hanging wires. 4] Drinking water supply is not available. 5] Temporary shelters are made with the help of cane, plastic sheets or cloth. 6] Cooking of edibles on the road below such shelters. 7] Hawkers are also present with variety of goods which can catch fire easily. 8] Crowded during the peak hours. Men, women and children are rushing to sell their Goods and purchase with a bargain. This is responsible for noise. Sometimes a couple of hundred people are present in a market. 9] Wandering cattle, pigs, goats and dogs are present to catch their food from the leftovers. 10] No traffic controller for the two, three and four wheelers. 11] Absence of any free road to escape during any emergency. 12] Absence of police force or persons to properly guide the people in case of any Emergency. 13] Entire market is at a risk. 14] Absence of any fire engine or trained persons in the vicinity. 15] Most of the weekly markets are away from the cities where fire engines are present. 16] Scarcity of water is a problem in almost all villages. Rivers are almost dry in post Monsoon periods.