MARGAO
With the High Court expressing its unhappiness over the unhygienic conditions along the wholesale fish market and the SGPDA asserting that its jurisdiction is restricted inside the compound wall of the market, the Margao Municipality is bracing up for an operation against illegal vendors doing business outside the wholesale fish market and to maintain the road clean and free from litter.
After the High Court issued directions on Wednesday morning after hearing the SGPDA Member Secretary and the Margao Municipal Council's Chief Officer, the duo conducted a joint inspection of the area outside the wholesale fish market in the evening how to go about the job of removing the illegal vendors and to maintain hygiene in the area.
The MMC Chief Officer Gaurish Sankhwalkar later had a meeting with civic officials, including the market inspectors, drawing up strategies how to clear the vendors and encroachments outside the PDA market from Thursday.
The Chief Officer later informed that the Municipality will crack a whip against the illegalities and vendors along the wholesale fish market road from Thursday. He said his office has sent letters to the South Goa district Magistrate as well as the Fatorda police station in-charge, intimating them of the High Court directions and the drive planned by the civic body against the encroachments.
With the High Court seeking compliance of its directions before the next date of hearing on September 27, the Marao Municipal Council, sources said the Municipal officials are bracing up to crack a whip against the illegal vending and encroachments along the wholesale fish market.
For, the SGPDA has all along maintained that its jurisdiction is restricted inside the compound of the wholesale fish market and the activities along the wholesale fish market road falls in the jurisdiction of the Margao Municipal Council.
Hundreds of vendors, selling fish, fruits and vegetables, besides groceries and eatables, do business outside the wholesale fish market and along the entire road from La Grace Hotel to the wholesale fish market.
A couple of years ago, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had issued directions to the Margao Municipality to clear the entire wholesale fish market road from the illegal vendors, but in vain.
Now with the issue of hygiene and illegalities coming under the High Court scanner, Municipal officials in private said the civic body will have no other option than to take the Court directions to the logical conclusion.
