MARGAO
Margao Municipal workers confiscated flowers which were being sold illegally by unauthorised vendors near the KTC bus stand.
The action follows the decision taken at the ordinary meeting of the Council held last week to crack down on illegal sale of vegetables, fruits, flowers and fish by outsiders along the road sides of the commercial capital at the cost of the local vendors.
Chief Officer Agnelo Fernandes pointed out that the market inspectors and the workers were drafted for the job to seize the flowers being sold near the KTC bus stand by unauthorised vendors on the eve of All Souls Day. The confiscated flowers were later taken to the Municipal building.
A citizen of Margao, Crydon Madeira, who had taken up cudgels for the local vendors on the eve of Dussehra against outsiders selling flowers at the Power house circle, welcomed the action initiated by the Margao Municipal Chief Officer.
He, however, said the confiscated material should have brought in a small pickup or rickshaw and not a jeep, in which the MMC workers travelled along with the confiscated items. “This shows that the Council and market inspectors were unprepared and have no interest to take serious action on illegal trade going on, on road sides by migrants. They are giving the migrants a long rope while Goan vendors suffer. This is absolutely unacceptable and the Council and councillors should take serious note of this,” Crydon demanded.
Alleging a nexus between the market inspectors and the migrant roadside vendors, he said the MMC workers should be taking action everyday by going twice a day across Margao, Fatorda, Borda, KTC road, Madel Mungul road and others and confiscate all material being sold by roadside.
“The Market department along with inspectors has no other work and this is their job. I demand that the CO issue strict orders to these lazy market inspectors who are also having a nexus with these vendors to carry out raids everyday twice a day at random timings,” he demanded.
