Elakanda Public market: A haven for drug addicts

By Sarath Chinthaka   

The public market at Elakanda, Hendala, which was constructed by the Wattala Pradeshiya Sabha, has become a safe haven for drug addicts.   

The public market was constructed 18 years ago to bring all fish stalls in the area under one roof following a resolution passed in the Pradeshiya Sabha (PS) when Dalton Janaka Suriyabandara was the PS Chairman.   

Former Deputy Minister of Labour Neel Rupasinghe declared open the public market in 2001.   

The ground floor of the two-story market building was allocated to the vendors who sold fish while shops on the first floor were occupied by other vendors.   

Though fish vendors settled here, they preferred to sell their fish near the Hamilton Canal. Within a month after the market was opened, fish vendors lost interest in the new place due to low customer turnout.   

Gradually, all fish vendors left the building and most of the other vendors who were stationed on the first floor also left the premises.   

Today, there are only three shops remain open. All the shops on the ground floor remain closed except for one meat shop.   

Water and electricity supply had been disconnected to the public market building while the lavatory facilities are at a deplorable state.   

The wooden boards which were fixed for fish vendors are being used by drug addicts to sleep, according to residents.Residents complained that the construction of markets without seeking the opinion of vendors was a waste of public funds.