Mridul Podder & Narayan Reddy
Port Blair, Aug 21: Farzand Ali Market situated at the heart of the Port Blair City near the clock tower is in highly awful state. According to reports, long back the market was donated by Late. Khan Saheb Haji Farzand Ali to Andaman and Nicobar Administration for charity. The market stands high just near the clock tower in the historical Aberdeen Bazzar of Port Blair city.
According to the old residents of Port Blair the market was the most important landmark in Port Blair decades ago and it is clearly evident that it is still situated in a highly commercial viable area. Late. Khan Saheb Haji Farzand donated the market to the administration and wished that the revenue earned through the renting of the shops in the market should be used for the poor children, education and other noble causes related to children.
H. Khan Sahab Farzand Ali, born on 11th August 1885 was one of the Prominent Citizen of these Islands, who donated a huge property to the Government for the benefit of needy people, and also to the, Jama Masjid Committee. He was a famous merchant and an Honoury Magistrate.
He was the one who had surrendered his prime land of entire plantation at South Point for the noble cause of construction of a Degree College by the Andaman and Nicobar Administration for the benefit of the students of these Islands.
Today when one visits the market with the history of the place in his minds feels appalling and highly depreciated because of the condition of the market. The condition of the market building is highly horrible and the roof is playing off to separate itself from the building. The Tin Sheets that constitute the roof are slowly developing holes due to corrosion and other natural phenomena. The walls are standing on a century old brick and steel rods which poses no required tensile strength. It seems the building is standing by the grace of god and in the name of the most generous man in the history of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Not only this the first floor of the building doesn’t even have walls, the rear side is covered by Tin sheets, while the left wall is open.
The responsibility of the maintenance of the Market is with a committee constituting of the officers of the Administration headed by the Deputy Commissioner, South Andaman District. The vintage residents of Port Blair explained it to Andaman Sheekha that the committee is not performing its tasks in an efficient manner and is not at all taking care of the valuable property which the generous man donated to the Administration for a noble cause.
Andaman Sheekha investigated to the roots of this story and in the process we contacted Mr. Amit Tamabi, ADM who assured us to look into the matter on the priority. “I will verify the matter and then inform you,” the ADM told Andaman Sheekha today.
Mean while Andaman and Nicobar Administration should take a note of the condition of the market and order for immediate repair and renovation works so that the market should stand high in the streets of Port Blair forever and keep the name of Late. Khan Saheb Haji Farzand Ali always alive. (Written by Tarun Kartick)
