the goan I network
MARGAO
In an interesting development, the wholesale fish agents have resolved to stop the import of fish from other States in the Margao wholesale fish market from November 1, a day after the authorities cracked the whip against unlicensed wholesalers and those importing fish into the State by non-insulated vehicles.
The wholesalers under the banner of Margao wholesale fish Market Association said they will not import any fish from November 1 till the Director of Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) sets up a laboratory in the wholesale fish market to check quality of fish on the spot and clear doubts of the customers.
Addressing media, Association president Maulana Ibrahim sought the intervention of Chief Secretary to resolve the issue by giving proper opportunity to wholesalers before October 31 so that the inter-state fish trade continues as usual without any problem.
He said only a full-fledged laboratory set up in the wholesale fish market by the FDA will help clear public doubts and help rebuild and restore confidence amongst the public regarding the quality of fish sold in the market.
He told media in the presence of wholesale fish agents, Joaquim Borges, Sudan Naik and others that the government should issue licenses/permits for the agents with minimum requirements and should not insist on all the conditions stipulated for other trade licenses.
Ibrahim refused to comment on the government’s decision to crack a whip on non-insulated vehicles and against traders selling fish without trade license. “How can we say whether the government decision is good or bad when the wholesale fish agents and the Association was totally kept in the dark”, he questioned, while demanding to know why the government was not taking the wholesale fish Association into confidence on issues concerning the trade.
“The TCP Minister, Health Minister, Chief Secretary and other departmental heads had a high-level meeting in the South district Collectorate recently, but the wholesale fish agents were never invited by the government to find a solution to the issue”, Ibrahim said.
He further pointed out that the government, including the Health Minister, Vishwajit Rane has not even given an appointment to the Association till date, hoping that the Chief Secretary will intervene and invite the wholesalers for discussion before October 31 if the government is serious in finding a solution to the problem.
To a query whether the wholesalers have resolved to shut their operations from November 1 is aimed at bringing the government to the negotiable table, Ibrahim shot back, “We are not issuing any threat to the government. We are stopping our activity because there are certain elements who are hell bent in maligning the Association .
What’s wrong in approaching Vijai
with our problems, asks Ibrahim
MARGAO: Saying that the ongoing campaign directed at the wholesale fish agents is politically motivated, president of the Wholesale Fish Market Association, Maulana Ibrahim on Saturday said that he along with the fish agents had approached TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai on the day of the controversy in July last because the latter was not only Salcete’s lone Minister, but the market is situated in Fatorda.
“What was wrong in the wholesale fish agents going to the TCP Minister with our grievances. How could anyone expected us to approach either to Digambar Kamat or Luizinho Faleiro when the market is located at Fatorda and that Vijai is the lone minister from Salcete”, he questioned.
He said the issue acquired political overtones when politicians started attributing motives, levelling wild allegations, linking him and the TCP Minister. “We know how we are running the business. But, there were some politicians, who even said the fish agents and the TCP Minister were hand-in-glove in the business”, he said.
