the goan I network
MARGAO
Many a non-insulated vehicle might have been barred entry into the State at the borders since midnight, but there was no major impact on the hustle and bustle at Goa’s lone wholesale fish market on Day-1 of the action initiated by the Public Health Department.
In fact, the wholesale fish market played host to over a dozen vehicles, including a couple of insulated vehicles as fish was available in plenty in the market with fresh fish netted by the local fishing vessels and by traditional methods, including rampon, also finding its way in the market on Saturday.
Inquiries by The Goan revealed that outstation vehicles present in the wholesale fish market might have either made entry into the state before the state borders were monitored by the law enforcing agencies or they were the vehicles which must have been parked overnight in the wholesale market with stock of fish transported the previous day.
A visit to the wholesale fish market on Saturday morning revealed that Public Health Department’s circular had no impact on the normal hustle and bustle. Tonnes of fish stored in boxes was unloaded at the wholesale fish market before dawn and the fish was offered for sale till 9 in the morning.
Almost all varieties of fish, including Kingfish, morshe, squids, sole fish, mackerel, medium size sharks, lady fish, vellios etc were available in the market, indicating that imported fish did make its presence felt on Saturday.
The wholesale fish traders, however, had no idea what lies in store for them from Sunday as the authorities have started cracking a whip at the borders on non-insulated vehicles. “Let us wait and see how things unfold in the next few days. If vehicles, other than the insulated ones are not allowed to enter the State, we may have problem with the supply of imported fish”, remarked a trader.
Traders pointed out that only a handful of insulated vehicles import fish everyday. “There are not many insulated vehicle importing fish for the simple reason that the distance between areas such as Malvan in Maharashtra and Karwar in Karnataka is hardly around a 100 kms. Insulated vehicles are needed only in cases where the fish is brought from far away places, when the distance is 500 kms away from Goa”, argued President of Margao Wholesale Fish Market Association, Maulana Ibrahim.
