MARGAO
As the South Goa Planning and Development Authority (SGPDA) is finally bracing up to inaugurate the redeveloped Margao wholesale fish market, a series of meetings have been planned later this week with the stakeholders, including the Ramponkars, boat owners to address their issues and concern in the market.
In another development, the government has on Tuesday granted the approval for wholesale fish market sopo fee collection tender. The Planning body will now give the job to floating the tender to the IT department and the entire process is expected to be complete by the month end.
These decisions were arrived at the meeting of the SGPDA chaired by Chairman, MLA Krishna Salkar on Tuesday, which was attended by members, PWD Minister Digambar Kamat, Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai and others.
At the meeting, the Fatorda MLA raised the issue of the Effluent treatment plant at the redeveloped wholesale fish market, demanding to know whether the PDA has put in place a ETP plant to treat the effluents generated in the market. He also demanded to know how the PDA will go about dealing with the scores of migrant vendors engaged in illegal retail fish trade in the wholesale fish market.
After the meeting, the PDA Chairman told the media that though it was decided to tentatively inaugurate the refurbished wholesale fish market this month, members were of the view that the planning body should fix all issues before the inauguration.
In this context, he said the PDA has called for series of meetings with the stakeholders including the traditional fishermen, boat owners and the fish traders how to go addressing their issues. “Since the redeveloped fish market will play host to offices, we will also decide how to go about allotting the offices and the fixation of rent”, he said.
Insisting on cleanliness in the redeveloped market, Salkar said the PDA will appoint two agencies, one to look after the maintenance of the toilets and the second one for the cleanliness of the market. “Representatives of the agency which will be appointed to look after the upkeep and maintenance has been called on Thursday to explore the possibility of reviving the effluent treatment facility put in place by BITS Pilani”, he said.
Meanwhile, the PDA Chairman said the PDA is in the process of introducing pay parking on the sprawling grounds,. He further said the PDA retail market will soon get a makeover with government funding.
