Bhograi: Deula market under Bhograi block in Balasore district shares borders with West Bengal. The market assumes significance for people from both Odisha and West Bengal. Besides, the market is said to be promoting growth of agriculture, socio-economic life of people in bordering areas of both the states.
Though the market is over 200 years old, it has been beset with lots of infrastructural shortcomings. It retains the memories of the British legacy.
It is estimated that the turnover of the market on each sitting is over Rs 50 lakh. All kinds of items related to festivals, customs including worship materials, brata, mela, basic needs, brass metals and mats are available. The market sits twice a week – Thursday and Sunday.
Apart from marketing facilities, this market has been a platform for exchange of socio-economic linkages in the fringe areas. The market is two km from Bhograi block. Thousands of traders, farmers from various parts of the bordering areas sell their items in the market that spreads over an area of five acres.
This is named after Deula village. During the British Raj, a coastal canal was dug up to boost marine trade and the market was set up as a platform to facilitate it. The market was earlier under the Panchet landlord of East Medinapore district in West Bengal. The landlord had raised a boundary wall to set limits for revenue collection.
Later, a temple for Ananta Purusottam was built in the market. A nearby panchayat was taking the market on lease for Rs 25,000 per annum to organize Chadakmela, Durgapuja, Laxmipuja and Kalipuja.
In 1985-86, the market came under RMC. The old boundary wall was flattened and a pond was filled up for making the market more usable for the traders. This generates revenue of Rs 30,000 per month, said the RMC.
The market is a big platform for fish, betel and fish famers of Bhograi. People of Baliapal, Basta and Jaleswar come here to busy items needed for marriages, brats and consumers goods.
People from Kathi, Egra, Paniurpal, Depal, Mahanpur, Ramnagar, Deuli in West Bengal solely depend on this market. Wholesalers of clothes do brisk business in this market.
However, traders of both the states lamented that thousands of people depend on this market, but some infrastructure has not been developed. They said the market lacks toilets and rest sheds. In monsoon, water-logging is a big problem in the area.
“Although the market has a monthly turnover of Rs50 lakh, it has not been equipped with other facilities for the traders,” lamented Shaktipada Das Mohapatra, president of RMC. Now, a controversy has erupted over allotment of shops by the RMC.
Radhashyam Jena, secretary of RMC, said the RMC always tries to settle issues with unanimous consent of the traders. The market provides employment opportunities to local traders, said Jageswar Patra.