the goan I network
VASCO
Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) Chairperson Kritesh Gaonkar along with other councillors, ATO and municipal inspectors conducted a surprise visit in the Vasco markets to cross check on encroachment by vendors.
The sudden visit by the MMC team took several vendors by surprise and many vendors were seen trying to move all items kept outside the shops into the premises.
However, a calm Gaonkar visited almost all vendors before calling them together for a meeting where he informed them that MMC had to obey the high court directions to clear encroachments and it was not meant to harass vendors.
Gaonkar also requested vendors to comply with MMC directives and to clear encroachment before MMC begins the encroachment drive again.
Gaonkar warned that since MMC was about to begin a stronger encroachment drive, he had personally visited the vendors to inform them not to involve in encroachment failing which MMC inspectors were directed to confiscate anything that was found outside the shops.
Gaonkar also spoke to many elderly traditional Goan vendors asking them to shift into the old fish market complex assuring to develop the area so that there would be a rise in customers for traditional Goan products.
Later speaking to reporters, Gaonkar said: “We had initially placed all traditional vendors in the old fish market but even if one vendor starts selling outside the market, everyone follows and I have explained to them that the old market place would be only for traditional vendors and they have agreed.”
“This is my last attempt to explain to them personally about our drives, failing which their goods may be confiscated and they should not later blame MMC that they were not informed about it. We have decided to remove all vendors from the roadsides as it hinders public access and that is the reason, I conducted a surprise visit myself,” said Gaonkar.
“My staff had also given them warnings last week. But some have not yet obliged and I have noticed that shops are empty and goods are outside and this cannot be tolerated. We may have no option but to go for another encroachment drive with directions to MMC inspectors to confiscate anything kept in the pathways,” added Gaonkar.
‘No business outside market premises’
VASCO: Several vendors of Vasco market met MMC Chairperson Kritesh Gaonkar on Tuesday afternoon in a bid to coax the council into allowing some traditional vendors to conduct business outside the Old fish market and in spots they usually occupied before the MMC encroachment drive.
However, Gaonkar refused to consider their request. Instead, he advised vendors to move into the old fish market which would be developed as a one point market for traditional Goan products.
Traditional Goan vendors usually selling products like coconut oil, eggs, fruits, kokum syrup, boiled rice and tender coconut earlier occupied various locations across the city including bus stands and different footpaths.
A traditional Goan vendor, Libra Ferrao, said the new fish market site had seen no customers as most regular customers had been searching for vendors at the spots they occupied earlier. “We had requested the MMC Chairperson for a small space outside the fish market for a limited time but he refused citing court orders. We don’t want to trouble anyone nor create a nuisance. We only want to sell our products and go home,” said Ferrao.
Another vegetable vendor, Prashant Naik, however tendered an apology on behalf of all vendors of the market for shouting anti-MMC slogans and forming a rally while the MMC encroachment drive was being conducted a few days ago.
“The MMC team had come for a surprise inspection and we decided to meet him and explain our situation. We told him that our leafy vegetables get spoilt if not kept in the fresh air after spraying water. Gaonkar has instructed that only leafy vegetables can be kept outside for a limited time and that too only one basket and no other product should be kept outside. We request MMC to help us conduct business and also assure that we will not keep anything besides leafy vegetables outside. We have agreed to comply with MMC directives,” said Naik.
