VASCO
In a move to improve sanitation and meet a long-pending demand of traders, Vasco MLA Krishna Salkar laid the foundation stone for a seven-seater Sulabh Shauchalaya behind the Vasco vegetable market on Wednesday.
The event was attended by Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) Chairperson Girish Borker, ward councillor Shami Salkar, market shopkeepers, and senior citizens associated with the market for decades.
Salkar said the facility was among the oldest demands of vendors since his time as a councillor. “This is one of Vasco’s biggest markets, visited by hundreds daily. A toilet is a basic necessity, and I made it a priority after becoming MLA,” he said. The Rs 50 lakh project will feature separate sections for men, women, and the differently abled, equipped with hand dryers, bathing areas, wash basins, and even a music system.
Long-time shopkeeper Narendra Bhutki, part of the market since 1972, said traders had been waiting over five decades for such a facility.
“We made several requests, but nothing happened until now. This is a big gift for all of us,” he said.
MMC Chairperson Girish Borker recalled that vendors had raised the issue soon after he took charge. “The MLA acted swiftly, and the government sanctioned the project within four months,” he said.
