Yousuf, a read-ymade
garments shop owner at the SRT Nagar market cannot believe his fate.
His eldest son, 10-year-old Omar was busy collecting debris and cleaning
his father’s charred shop on Monday. Yousuf’s shop was one affected in
the major fire which broke out in the adjacent vegetable market, leaving
140 push-carts gutted. With the ready-made dress shop located close to
the market, most garments were completely burnt in the mishap. “As
my elder sister Fathima’s wedding is to be held in April, I started
helping my father by selling dress materials on a push-cart after
school. Luckily, I could save some Rs.5,000 worth dress materials on the
push-cart,’’ said Omar. “However, most of the garments at his father’s
shop was completely gutted. All my father’s hopes have gone up in the
flames,” he said, before resuming his work. Meanwhile, the SRT Nagar
market, wore a deserted look on Monday. A few merchants resumed their
business under the shade of plastic sheets later in the day. Similarly,
Yadamma lost all her dry fish stock in the fire. Covering her head with
a plastic cover to protect from the heat, 55-year-old Yadamma resumed
her business again on Monday. “The fire has brought back gloomy days
for my family. After my son died in a road accident a few years ago, I
started selling dry fish at the market to pay for the treatment of my
husband Narsing, who is suffering from diabetes. I kept stock worth at
least Rs.3,000 on the push-cart for the Sunday market before going home.
I reached the market around 5.30 am on Sunday but to my shock found all
my stock lying destroyed,’’ she said.Most shopkeepers resumed
their business activities by selling on the ground after the GHMC staff
cleared the debris. “If the fire fighters had reached early, loads of
vegetables could have been saved. We stocked a number of vegetable bags
on the push-carts ahead of the Sunday market. One of the merchants
alerted us by sending SMSes when the fire broke out around 4.30 am. But
by the time we reached the spot, all my vegetables were burnt. I have to
spend at least Rs.12,000 to rebuild my two push-carts and Rs.10,000 to
reconstruct the shed,’’ said Anand, a vegetable seller helplessly.
By Mouli Mareedu
moulimareedu@gmail.com
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