The displaced GMC kiosk owners/ vendors assemble outside the GMC demanding that they be allotted shops at the earliest.
Photo Credits: Manuel Vaz
OLD GOA
The displaced GMC kiosk owners have threatened to resume their agitation if shops are not allotted to them in another week’s time.
Speaking to reporters outside GMC Bambolim on Saturday, kiosk owner Domnic Pereira informed that it’s been one-and-half month since the contractor completed the rehabilitation project and submitted the completion certificate to the PWD.
“However, the file is stuck with the PWD and has not reached the North Goa Collector, who will do the allocation of the shops. We do not know why PWD officials are not submitting the file to the Collector,” Pereira stated.
“We have been informed that until and unless the file reaches the Collector, the shop allocation will not happen,” Pereira pointed out and threatened to resume their agitation if they are not allotted the shops in another week’s time.
“Next month will complete one year since our kiosks and shops were demolished and we can’t wait any longer. We will wait for another week’s time and then we will chalk out future course of action, which includes resuming the agitation,” Pereira added.
“However, in the meanwhile, we will meet the PWD minister, if needed, to push the file forward,” he added and expressed frustration that the rehabilitation project area is being used for drinking and urinating purposes.
“Unscrupulous elements are using the area for drinking and urinating purpose in the night time,” Pereira said.
Pereira also informed that they have written to the Collector to allot the shops to kiosk owners and vendors in one area as per their business.
“For instance, all fruit vendors can be allotted one area while all kiosk owners doing similar business could also be clubbed in another area. This way everybody will get business,” he stated.
He demanded that after they are allotted shops nobody else should be allowed to do business outside the GMC as their business will be affected and the very purpose of rehabilitation will be defeated.
He also demanded that only the affected kiosk owners/ vendors should be rehabilitated and not those who are now trying to take advantage of the rehabilitation plan.
