CANACONA
It should have been a busy area teeming with sellers and customers, but the GSUDA’s Municipal Vegetable Market at Chaudi-Canacona has been virtually abandoned on the first floor and only a few sellers are seen operating on the ground floor for nearly three years.
About 200 Sopo plots are lying idle on the first floor and the underutilised premises have not only been seen as wastage of funds, it has also denied valuable revenue to the Canacona Municipal Council (CMC).
Ever since the Rs 3.43 crore GSUDA market complex was inaugurated by then Dy Chief Minister Francis D’Souza on September 23, 2015, the vegetable market has been mired in controversy.
The project was inaugurated without electricity connection, approach road and even an occupancy certificate.
To make matters worse, the Sopo plots were not allotted for almost six months. Following public outcry, 100 plots were finally allotted on the ground floor but 200 Sopo plots and a few shops remained unallotted on the
first floor.
Since then, only about 50 Sopo plots are being used to trade vegetables, flowers and fruits on the ground floor, while the first floor continues to be unoccupied.
In the absence of proper protection, the new building has been covered with plastic at many places to protect the structure from rains, while the adjacent gutters are overflowing and the unbearable stench has repelled many people from visiting the market
complex.
The few vendors in the complex have complained that the gutters have been filled with waste from the nearby mutton/chicken shops and the fish market.
“We hardly get any customers throughout the day as access problem to this market complex is still not addressed by the CMC even after three years. We operate these stalls for the sake of operating them, hoping that the municipal council would work something by now, but unfortunately no one seems to
pay any attention,” complained a vegetable vendor in the market.
When contacted, former CMC Chairperson Simon Rebello, during whose tenure the market was inaugurated, said: “I was forced to inaugurate the market in a hurry before the election code of conduct on account of municipal elections in 2015.”
“The process for electricity connection, approach road and occupancy certificate were in the last stage of approvals. However, instead of completing these essential works in a time frame, the CMC slept over the matter
and this led to complaints from all stakeholders, including public.”
“Electricity connection and occupancy certificate have been obtained, but the approach road is still pending and there has been no maintenance and cleanliness of the new project,” remarked Rebello.
CMC Chairperson Chaya Komarpant admitted that there has been no move at present to allot the vacant Sopo plots, but added
that the chief officer has been apprised of the urgent need to complete the approach road and to maintain cleanliness in and around the market
complex.
