PANAJI:
Meat traders who were displaced from their stalls in the Panaji market after the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) evicted them to demolish the old building in the market may finally get space to restart their business.
According to CCP commissioner, Klen Madeira, the blueprint of their rehabilitation in the market is nearing completion.
"It will have to be approved by the Council before presenting it to the court," Madeira said.
The CCP had been obligated to rehabilitate the meat traders by the Bombay High Court at Goa after they had challenged their forceful eviction by the civic body's officials.
The High Court had said that their rehab has to be completed so they re-start their business within six months and to submit the plan, including the timeline for its execution in eight weeks, a deadline which will end by mid-December.
Unlike the fish vendors, who have been rehabilitated by erecting a temporary shed at an adjacent location, the CCP was hard pressed to provide the meat traders with an alternative since they need proper stalls/shops with a power connection for freezers they use to store meat.
However, the civic body went ahead with its plan to demolish the old market building without making these alternative arrangements, prompting the traders to approach the Bombay High Court.
The High Court in an interim order, however said, CCP is obligated to provide them an alternative to carry on their livelihood until the new building intended to be built is ready.
