PANAJI
After the initial hiccups surrounding the allotment process for stalls, the 'Ashtami' fair in Panaji finally took off on Sunday with the fair getting a large number of visitors on the first day itself, even though many vendors were still in the process of installing their stalls.
Enthusiasm was seen among the vendors and visitors alike, as the popular fair allows locals to make purchases for various requirements ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi. Apart from locals, tourists also visit the fair to get a hand on items at a reasonable price.
However, this time the vendors expressed happiness over the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) officially allotting the stalls to the vendors.
“With the CCP officially allotting stalls, the process has now become transparent and hassle-free,” a furniture vendor Shaikh Shafi informed and added that the process should continue every year.
Another vendor Shaila Vernekar, who was initially denied a form for the stall, expressed gratitude to Panaji MLA Babush Monserrate for giving her justice.
“After my outburst over being denied a form, the MLA called me up and said that justice would be done following which I was allotted the stall,” Vernekar said expressing happiness over the process followed by the CCP.
However, Vernekar said that the process needs more transparency to avoid vendors from one family getting more than a stall. “Here, more than one stall is allotted to members of one family due to which many other vendors were unable to get stalls,” she added and informed that Goan vendors should be given preference over outsiders.
Meanwhile, many Goan vendors were seen doing business at the fair including a youth Nehal who has come from Balli-Cuncolim.
Nehal is selling wood items mostly used during Chaturthi like the 'paath'. “I have used jackfruit tree wood which is reliable and long-lasting,” Nehal informed The Goan. Other stalls set up by Goan vendors include clay items like 'gurguret', 'touli', 'miler', etc.
