MARGAO
South Goa Planning and Development Authority (SGPDA) Chairman, MLA Krishna Salkar on Friday challenged anyone to take over the sopo collection at the wholesale fish market if they claim the PDA ought to have earned revenue of Rs 2 lakh per day.
The PDA chairman further pointed out that the PDA will call a meeting with the stakeholders as well as the MLAs of Margao and Fatorda to resolve the issues plaguing the PDA retail fish market.
Addressing the media, Salkar pointed out that those who claim that the PDA ought to have earned revenue of Rs 2 lakh per day by way of sopo collection should come forward and take over the fee collection from Monday. “We would be happy if these people pay Rs 1.5 lakh a day to the SGPDA and retain the balance fees to cover their costs,” Salkar said, while saying it is easy to make allegations against the PDA officials of making money from the wholesale fish market.
The SGDPA chairman said the phase-I of the wholesale fish market would be ready within six months, adding that the balance market land would be taken up for development in phase-II. “I had a meeting with GSIDC officials, who have maintained that around 90 per cent of work on the phase-I of the wholesale fish market is completed. Since the work on the roofing and electrical works remains incomplete, we expect the phase-I of the market to be ready within six months,” he said.
On the long-delayed tendering of sopo collection fees, the PDA chairman said the e-tender will be out in a month’s time, adding those eligible to take the sopo collection project should submit their bids. “I had initiated the process of tendering the sopo collection after I took over the reins of office. It cannot be done in a day or two,” he said adding that the e-tender should be published in the media in a month’s time.
On the unhygienic conditions in the PDA retail market, Salkar said the PDA is still willing to renovate and carry out repairs, but hastened to add that the retail fish vendors should bear the cost of maintenance by paying the fees. “We had decided to charge Rs 100 per day from each vendor, but we are ready to meet the vendors at half way. Let them also come out with an alternate offer on payment of fees,” he said, adding that a meeting with the retail fish vendors will take place next week along with MLAs Digambar Kamat and Vijai Sardesai.
Meanwhile, the wholesale fish traders led by M Ibrahim had on Friday morning charged the SGPDA for allowing rampant retail fish business in the wholesale fish market hampering parking of wholesale fish vehicles.
