MARGAO
Margao Municipal New Market traders have vowed to open the mega municipal market from Monday come what may.
Reason: Traders claim that while the district Collector’s lockdown order has shut down the market, traders from outside the state make hay right around the market by selling all goods, including fish, rain wear, plastic items, garments etc, under the nose of the law enforcing agencies.
President of Margao New Market Traders Association Vinod Shirodkar informed that the New Market traders have decided to open the market from Monday, saying the lockdown has left the traders with heavy losses, running into lakhs of rupees.
“Goods worth lakhs of rupees are lying inside our shops, including plastic items and rain wear. We are facing huge losses. But, if you see around the market, traders from outside the market are making hay by selling all goods”, he said.
Vinod added: “If the government is interested in curbing Covid cases, the borders should remain closed and no visitors or tourists should be allowed entry into the state. Just by closing the markets, the government is depriving the local traders of their livelihood”.
Saying the season for plastic items and rain wear is almost over with the monsoon expected to set in next week, Vinod said the traders had suffered huge losses last year and the situation is no different this year. “If the authorities are so concerned about curbing Covid, the officials should stop the sale of all goods and items around the market area early morning. Officials, who pass orders by sitting in their offices, should come down and see the ground reality”, he demanded.
Vinod demanded that the government should support the traders and open all the markets across the state from Monday, adding “otherwise, the government should compensate the traders by waiving off the taxes, including garbage fees”.
