VASCO
Vasco police on Monday shut down the vegetable and fruit market on Monday to avoid unnecessary crowding of people during the curfew.
The Vasco vegetable and fruit markets vendors were not allowed to open and a team of police was also deployed in the market.
Sources said vendors had been regularly warned by the police to maintain discipline and avoid crowding of markets failing which a harsh step would be taken.
Sources added that the vendors were requested by police not to encroach the roads and cause congestion on Saturday and were also warned on Sunday afternoon, after some shops apparently tried to continue operations beyond noon.
When contacted, Vasco PI Nilesh Rane confirmed that the police had closed down the market in order to avoid people from all over crowding at one place.
"We have seen people unnecessarily come out and wander in the market and when we asked a few people whether they had come to buy vegetables, they said they were in the market to see what was available after which they would come again to buy.”
“Some people had arrived to compare rates and others to decide on what is to be purchased. This is unacceptable during a Covid crisis and curfew,” said PI Rane.
"We may continue our plan to close the Vasco market and once this market is closed, half the crowd will not come to Vasco. We literally had to force the shops to close on Sunday afternoon.”
“The market becomes a congested place when there is a crowd and when this market is open, many people from places and suburbs like Baina, Vaddem, Sada, New Vaddem, Chicalim and Mangor visit the site.”
PI Rane said if the main vegetable and fruit market is closed, people will buy their requirements in markets that are open in their respective areas which have small satellites markets.
“Every area has vegetable and stand-alone grocery stores and people can buy from there and there will be distribution of crowd. We cannot allow a crowd of 2,000 to 3,000 people to arrive at one market between 7 am to 1 pm and risk everyone's lives," said PI Rane.
