MARGAO
The week-long stalemate between the Margao wholesale fish traders and the SGPDA wholesale fish market sopo contractor finally ended on Friday, raising hopes of arrival of fish from across the borders into Goa’s lone wholesale fish market from Saturday.
What brought about a truce between the two warring parties, which had resulted in fish scarcity in the wholesale and retail fish markets over the last one week, was the intervention of the South Goa Planning and Development Authority Chairman, MLA Wilfred D’Sa, on Friday.
A meeting called by the PDA Chairman and Member Secretary Vartika Dagur on Friday noon helped to break the deadlock between the two parties, paving the way for the resumption of fish activities by the wholesale fish traders.
The PDA-brokered discussion was attended by a delegation of Margao wholesale fish traders led by President M Ibrahim and the sopo contractor Milagres Fernandes.
After the meeting, Ibrahim said the Margao wholesale fish traders have decided to bring in fish from Saturday after the PDA lent their ears to their issues in the wholesale fish market. M Ibrahim said the PDA Chairman and the Member Secretary have given an assurance that what has happened in the past will not be repeated in the future.
“We asked the Chairman to ensure there is no harassment from the contractor. We have made it clear that we will not tolerate any harassment in the future,” he said.
Saying the traders have no issue over the payment of fees on hourly basis till the High Court takes a decision in the matter, Ibrahim said the traders have requested the PDA to float the wholesale fish market sopo tender at the earliest.
“The PDA chairman has told us that the traders should lodge a complaint with the police and the PDA. We have been told to film any activity in the market”, he said, adding that the traders have requested the PDA to post police in the market.
Sopo contractor Milagres told the media there was no issue in the market and the traders had some misunderstanding which has been cleared. “We made it very clear to the PDA that no extra money has been charged. I demanded that the traders give the names of the people asking for money,” he added.
D’Sa said there were no major issue raised by the fish traders, barring some points which have been addressed. “Earlier, the traders had raised the issue of hourly fees, but now they say they have no issue,” he said.
On the deployment of huge manpower by the contractor, the PDA Chairman said the manpower is required for the collection of fees from the vehicles. “I see no reason why the traders should have objection if the contractor is engaging 45 people in the market and giving employment,” D’Sa said.
He said instructions have been issued to the contractor as well as the traders to give identity cards to the fee collectors and the fish traders for the purpose of identity.
