The Margao Municipal Council has had many failures in itsbook of records from its inability to tackle garbage to parking and trafficcongestion.
But MMC’s biggest woes has been controlling the marketencroachment problem.
“The problem is the line markings that existed in the lastdecade. I have continuously pleaded with the MMC to come at night when themarket is shut and demarcate these markings once again and lift all goods fromthe stalls that encroach beyond the marking,” stated New Market Vyapari SangathanPresident, Devi Borkar.
The MMC has failed to clear encroachments from the NewMarket complex which has 400 stalls and Gandhi Market complex which has 600stalls. Besides there are another 400 local vegetable vendors who sit in turnsand shifts in a special shed allotted to them outside the Gandhi marketcomplex.
“In 1997, I was part of the council and Kadam was the Mayorwhen the High Court judgement ordered all fruit stalls encroaching the pavementto be done away with and clear the pavements. Margao’s corrupt marketinspectors have failed to curb these encroachments,” said former Margao MayorElinio Colaco.
When the New Market complex was setup in 1957, during thePortuguese time, buses known as Carrera would drive into the market, wash allthe corridors and drive out. Today neither a cycle or two pedestrians can walkside by side in the market complex.
“We have given so many proposals to the market vendors toupgrade the market and even promised them bigger spaces. But they don’t seem towant to come out of the filth,” a frustated sounding chairperson Arthur D’Silvasaid.
“The biggest hurdle is the political interference fromleaders like Babu Azgaonkar and others who bring 200 market vendors and gheraothe municipality everytime we try to clear encroachments. This Diwali, Icleared 70% of the encroachments but I know these will return within fivedays,” said deputy chairperson and MMC Market Committee Chairman, PratimaCoutinho.
The head accountant incharge of the tax recovery team inMMC, Damodar Helekar disclosed that the MMC Technical Committee had made plansin 2004 for a new market complex with underground parking and multi-storeyedbuilding. But a rift among the vendors and their demand not to shut the marketfor renovation never allowed this plan to be implemented.
The MMC has designated Mohan Arlekar for Gandhi Market, AnilShirodkar for the New Marker and Hasina Bi to inspect encroachments by gaddas.They carry out regular inspections and at times even seize goods but nobodyseems to be paying heed to this action, Helekar informed.
“Market Inspectors take bribes from migrant market vendorsand allow them to encroach on market space, which has led to this situation,”.We continue to plead to the MMC to take strict action against migrant vendorswho encroach market spaces and add to the filth and dirt of the market,” saidBabuAzgaonkar, Gandhi market vendors representative and former Dhargalim MLA.
Earlier goods were returned to the vendors from whom theywere seized after they were asked to pay a fine for encroaching.
“Now we do not return these goods but give it to orphanagesand old age homes including perishables like fish. Hopefully this will changethe vendors attitude,” said MMC market inspector Anil Shirodkar.
