A delegation of citizens led by Congress leader Elvis Gomes submits a memorandum to the SGPDA officials. Captured by : Santosh Mirajkar
MARGAO
A delegation of citizens on Friday demanded transparency in the decision over the proposed shifting of the wholesale fish market from Margao to the Verna Industrial estate.
The delegation comprising of bureaucrat-turned-politician Elvis Gomes, Pradeep Naik, Yogesh Nagvekar and others called on SGPDA officials on Friday with a plea to shed light on the media reports that the present wholesale fish market Margao is proposed to be shifted to IDC Verna to facilitate repair works.
In the memorandum submitted to the SGPDA, the delegation pointed out that though the PDA may have its justification for the decision, but there is a complete lack of transparency from the user's point of view about the manner the decision has been taken and it has caused fear and anxiety in the minds of several stakeholders, some of whom fear loss of livelihoods.
“We have expressed our concerns about the fallout of such a decision on the livelihoods of small-time fish vendors who do retail sales using bicycles and those who carry headload of baskets on feet, whose number is estimated to be around 800. The whole ecosystem of the supply chain, buying, selling and incidental businesses that have evolved at the present location is bound to get disrupted and the small-time vendors will be hit hard,” Elvis later told the media.
The delegation demanded a white paper to know what measures are being adopted in the process of shifting and the facilities that will be provided at the new location. "The paper should contain a complete analysis of the functioning of the wholesale market at the new place and the time duration of the market at the new location,” Elvis said.
