MAPUSA
Responding to a call by the Mapusa Merchants’ Association (MMA), the vegetable and fish vendors observed a Bandh in the first half of Monday to protest against irregularities in Mapusa market.
The vendors staged a rally in the city to protest against the alleged corruption by Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC), increasing encroachments and scam in Sopo contract. Most of the vendors participated in the rally, deserting the municipal market. Barring a few vegetable vendors, almost all vendors joined the protest.
The rally, under the leadership of MMA President and former MMC chairperson Ashish Shirodkar, started from the Shankutala statue in the city and later all the vendors sat at the entrance of municipal building.
Blaming Mapusa Market Committee Chairman and Councillor Franky Carvalho for the irregularities, the protesting vendors demanded his removal from the committee.
According to sources, the police blocked the vendors at the entrance of municipal building. Bardez Mamlatdar Dashrath Gawas and PI Rajendra Prabhudessai were also present.
Later, Ashish Shirodkar, Ashish Cardozo, Naresh Tivrekar, Pandurang Sawant, Geetesh Dangi, Shripad Sawant, Rajan Pernekar, Mumhamod Motiwala, Peter Manskarensh, Amar Kavlekar, Shripad Yende and Nagesh Mayekar met MMC Chairperson Sandeep Falari and submitted a memorandum.
“MMC collects taxes from the vendors, but has failed to provide basic facilities to the vendors. The market building is in shambles, while the Sopo contractor is acting as per his own wishes,” alleged Ashish Shirodkar.
“Carvalho is responsible for all the mess in the market. He has patronized migrant vendors and is troubling the local vendors,” stated Shirodkar.
