KASUR: Citizens and local traders have raised concern about the location of the new fruit and vegetable market, which is at a stone’s throw away from tanneries and a wastewater treatment plant as well as near a dumping zone of solid waste.
The project, estimated to cost Rs1.37 billion, is part of the Punjab government’s move to modernise 188 such markets across the province. It includes provision of clean facilities, water filtration, waste management, toilets, banks and other infrastructure improvements. Such markets are being established in Kasur, Pakpattan, Mian Channu, Sahiwal, Sheikhupura and Mandu Bahaudin.
For the purpose, the market committee in Kasur has issued notices to commission agents of the old fruit and vegetable market to submit their papers for allotments of shops in the new Dollaywala market. Punjab Agriculture Marketing Regulatory Authority (PAMRA) had also invited bids through a tender notice for the establishment of the new market which is located on the Dipalpur Road and would replace the old market situated on College Road. However, local traders and commission agents rejected the plan and have refused to submit their papers and allotment fee to the market committee.
Local Artian President Mushtaq Ahmed told Dawn that the new site for the market would cause hardships for all the stakeholders including consumers, commission agents, farmers and traders. He said that the site was polluted due to hundreds of tanneries, a treatment plant and surrounded by waste. Furthermore, he claimed that a high-tension transmission line was hanging above the new market, which made the site illegal.
He said the law does not allow anyone to live or do business beneath transmission lines, but the administration seemed bent upon building the market at this site.
He claimed that the administration had not allowed private housing societies or others under the same yardstick, while it was violating the same for a government project.
Advocate Riaz Farukh, a senior citizen, said that the administration had not taken any of the stakeholders on board while deciding the site for the project.
He said that the traders and commission agents had written several letters to the Environment Protection Authority and Wapda Chairman but in vain. The traders and commission agents had recently held a meeting with the assistant commissioner but no progress could be made in it, he added.
According to commission agents, including Gjulam Mustafa and Baba Asif, the site was very polluted and the smell of the nearby tanneries made it difficult to even stand there.
They said the Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) was also dumping solid waste at the site. They said that it was not the first time that they were being relocated as it was done four times since 1985.
When contacted, Assistant Commissioner Asfandyar said that the new site was bigger and equipped with modern facilities.
He said that the old market was in a residential area where residents faced problems due to the movement of tractor-trolleys, trucks and containers.
He said that because the old market was on just a few kanals, the government could not implement the modernisation plan there.
Furthermore, he said that meetings with environment experts and Lesco officials were being held on a daily basis to make the new market a safer place.
Published in Dawn, January 1st, 2026