MARGAO
With the night curfew coming into force with immediate effect, questions are being raised whether fish loving Goans will get uninterrupted supply of fish during the next eight days during the implementing of the curfew.
For, the night curfew will remain in force from 10 pm to 6 am every day, the time when Goa’s wholesale fish market comes alive with trucks from across the border entering the market followed by retail fish vendors from across the state thronging the market to make purchases.
In normal times, the wholesale fish market opens for business at around 3 am every day, when buying and selling of fish takes place between the wholesale fish traders, boat owners and traditional fishermen and the retail fish vendors.
Whether the curfew will put spokes in the fish trading activity remains unclear for the moment, even as fish traders maintained that fish activity comes under essential commodities and cannot be restricted.
When The Goan called up SGPDA Chairman Wilfred D’Sa to shed light on the implications of the night curfew on the wholesale fish market operations, he was not sure whether the curfew will apply to the wholesale fish market given that fish is an essential commodity. He, however, assured to check with the PDA Member Secretary Vertika Dagur whether the night curfew will be applicable in the wholesale fish market. “We will get a clarification from the authorities if the need arises. Let us wait and see”, he said.
President of the Margao Wholesale fish traders Association M Ibrahim, however, said that the Central government has notified fish and its trading as an essential commodity, saying movement of fish cannot be restricted during the curfew. “Even during the lockdown last year, movement of fish was not restricted in view of the clarifications issued by the centre”, Ibrahim added.
Normally, fish laden vehicles from across the border arrive in the market the previous night, while others make it to the market just before business starts at around 3 am. Since fish vehicles must have already come into the state, there may not be any curbs on Thursday morning, sources said, adding that the authorities may take a decision only after seeking clarifications from the higher authorities.
The SGPDA wholesale fish market is one of the mega market gathering points in the commercial capital with Covid safety norms often thrown to the winds due to the very nature of the fish buying and selling activity.
In fact, the Fatorda police had booked a host of cases in the market against defaulters for violating Covid norms including wearing of face masks.
