THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The ladies wing of the Mangalam Lane Residents’ Association, Sasthamangalam, is once again ready with the sale of vegetable and homemade products at reduced prices for the festive season. As many as 135 women members of the Residents’ Association have pooled in money, fetched vegetables from Tamil Nadu and put up a sale, where you get them fresh at reasonable prices. These women have been doing it for many Onams now. ‘’We like to put up the sales because not just our immediate neighbours, but people from other associations nearby also come to us to buy vegetables. It is a concerted effort, which we cherish and have been doing for many years now,’’ says Shobana Bai, president of the women’s wing of the Residents’ Association. The women have the whole-hearted support of the men group, for you can spot them on the cash counters and helping the female group arrange the items. Says Anilkumar, a resident, ‘’it gives the residents an opportunity to get fresh vegetables at lower prices. While in the market, you will get a kilo of chips for ` 200, here, we sell it for ` 140. Similarly, it is ` 20 for tomatoes outside, our price is ` 10.’’ While associations usually are busy organising celebrations, very few think of setting up a profitable bazaar at this time. The residents here use the opportunity to sell homemade products too. You can spot them in a corner - juices, pickles, snacks, night-dress and so on. The women get to earn a considerable penny selling homemade items and make a profit. ‘’By next year, we hope to sell fresh vegetables straight out of our gardens,’’ says Shobana. According to her, the association is thinking of taking to terrace gardening or vegetable cultivation in the backyard in a big way. The City Corporation is planning a project to promote rooftop farming, which the women are looking forward to. But, for the time being, they are happy doing the sales though the vegetables which travel all the way from Tamil Nadu. The bazaar will conclude on Wednesday.
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