MARGAO
Perhaps for the first time since the commissioning of the market over a decade ago, the Margao Municipal Council set its foot in the wholesale fish market to clear the filth choking the clogged drains that had been raising a stink in the market place.
And, the Margao municipality has sent a message around that it means business with the wholesale fish market coming under the High Court scanner and the warrant issued by the court against the Margao Municipal Chief Officer Siddivinayak Naik for his failure to appear before the High Court for the hearing.
Even as the Municipal JCB worked overtime in the wholesale fish market to clear the clogged drains, Chief Officer Siddivinayak Naik personally made his presence felt in the market later in the day, to announce that it will take some days before the market is rid of the stink and filth. “We have started removing the waste that had all deposited in the drains over the years. I call this legacy waste, but the civic body will clear the plastic and all other rejects, including fish crates and baskets, pet bottles from the market,” Naik said.
The Chief Officer pointed out that while work on cleaning the 200-metre long drain has got underway, the actual cleaning of the market surface will begin immediately. “We intend to dump morass all over the market to clear the craters filled with stagnated waters,” he said, adding it will take some days to restore the market to a hygienic condition.
To a question, the MMC Chief Officer said the civic body would raise a bill to the SGPDA, exuding confidence that the PDA will make the payments of the work carried out in the market.
The ongoing work by the MMC in the wholesale fish market has only thrown up a question or two, as to who is responsible for the day-to-day cleanliness of the market.
