VASCO
The Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) on Wednesday morning locked the fish wholesale shops at Kharewaddo following a protest by Vasco fish market vendors who started selling fish outside the MMC building.
MMC Chairperson Leo Rodrigues, however, warned that strict action would be initiated against Vasco fish vendors if they failed to vacate the area outside the MMC building.
"This issue is getting out of hand and we can't do much because the fishing community is the cause and the solution to the issue. We have done everything possible: carried out drives, confiscated goods, kept police after hours, closed wholesale shops and finally even locked the wholesale shops.”
“We cannot do anything beyond this and despite all this, if the Vasco market vendors don't agree, we will be forced to take harsh action against them," warned Rodrigues.
The MMC chairperson said the Vasco fish market vendors are demanding that wholesale fish and roadside fish sale be stopped.
“The MMC is not responsible for this because it is their own members who sell fish to other people. Boat owners sell fish to migrants, who in turn sell fish by the roadside. If we have to stop roadside fish sale, these vendors must tell boat owners to stop the sale of fish to other people.”
“Vasco fish market vendors claim the boat owners are only selling to people for personal consumption in baskets but who will take a basket full of fish daily? The fish vendors are making a noise and placing a demand which they themselves can resolve, especially when the fish vendors and boat owners are from the same community," said Rodrigues.
