MARGAO
The deadlock over the closure of the wholesale fish market for the Niz Goemkar fishermen was finally resolved with the South Goa Planning and Development Authority (SGPDA) on Wednesday agreeing in principle to lift the time restrictions on the tradition fishermen to sell fish in the wholesale fish market.
The decision implies that the 10 am time restriction imposed by the SGPDA at the wholesale fish market will be applicable only for the fish traders. The traditional fishermen, including the ramponkars, magkars, boatkars, cantarekars et al will be allowed entry into the wholesale fish market during any time of the day to sell their catch.
The SGPDA, however, has taken a firm decision to completely ban retail sale of fish in the wholesale fish market.
The decision was taken at an emergency meeting of the SGPDA chaired by Chairman, MLA Krishna Salkar and attended by members, including the MLAs of Margao and Fatorda, Digambar Kamat and Vijai Sardesai respectively.
After a marathon meeting held closed door, the SGPDA later told the waiting media that since the traditional fishermen had no fixed fishing timing and they return to the shore with the catch at any time of the day, the PDA has in principle decided to allow the traditional fishermen with the fish catch during any part of the day. “Since it is a wholesale fish market, the members have decided that the local fishermen should get the preference to sell their catch. The market closure timing of 10 am will not be applicable for the traditional fishermen”, Salkar said.
He, however, has hastened to add that the SGPDA will not allow the sale of fish in retail in the wholesale fish market.
To a question, the PDA Chairman said the decision will be implemented no sooner the PDA Member Secretary compile the minutes and discuss the same with the Municipal counsel in the High Court.
Claiming the High Court has issued directions to stop the retail sale of fish in the wholesale fish market and abate the nuisance and litter on the road, Salkar said the PDA is on the job to clean the gutters in coordination with the Margao Municipality. “We are in the process of installing CCTV cameras to monitor the fishing activities and zero in on the people creating nuisance”, he added.
Margao MLA Digambar Kamat told media that SGPDA cannot keep the traditional fishermen out of the wholesale fish market by restricting the timings. “We are of the strong opinion that the market should cater to the requirements of the local stakeholders. The only condition is that the wholesale fish market will have no place for retail sale of fish”, Kamat said.
In fact, Kamat has suggested that the PDA should make a provision in the wholesale fish market under construction, having separate compartments for the local fishermen and the fish traders to avert any clash of business in the future. Kamat said the PDA decision to allow fishermen inside beyond the 10 am timing will be implemented after the compilation of the minutes of the meeting.
