MARGAO
The Margao municipal markets, including the New Market and the Gandhi Market will not open on Monday, with Margao Municipal Chief Officer Agnelo Fernandes making it categorically clear that the civic body will go by the lockdown directions issued by South Goa district Collector Ruchika Katyal.
Given that the president of New Market Traders Association vowing to open the market from Monday even if the lockdown was extended by the Collector, the attention of Margao Deputy Collector Jyoti Kumari has been drawn to the situation and to take preventive measures in the market on Monday morning.
The Chief Officer has conveyed the decision to the president of New Market Traders Association Vinod Shirodkar and the Gandhi Market and Readymade Garment Association Rajendra Ajgaonkar on Sunday. “I have made it clear to the presidents of the two Margao municipal markets association that since the district Collector has further extended the restrictions to June 7, the two markets will remain closed till then”, Agnelo told ‘The Goan’.
President of the New Market Traders Association Vinod Shirodkar had on Friday declared that the market traders will open the market from Monday saying the lockdown had hit their livelihood and that they will suffer huge losses if they do not get back to business.
What had further infuriated the New Market traders was the fact that the market has now remained shut for close to a month and traders, mostly from outside the state were selling all sorts of goods, including plastic and rain wear, besides fruit and vegetables around the market under the very nose of the municipal, police and district authorities.
“The traders dealing in plastic and rain wear will face huge losses if the goods are not sold before the onset of monsoons. We have led a delegation to the South Goa district Collector who was sympathetic to our plight”, Vinod said, adding that they look forward to the district authorities as well as the government to work out a solution to their problem.
