Councillor says van had
no permission to operate
THE GOAN NETWORK
PONDA
The Ponda Municipal Council (PMC) on Wednesday discussed the issue of the mobile fish van, which was forcibly pushed out of Ponda town by local fish vendors.
Discussing the issue at its monthly meeting, PMC said it had not received any application from the government-run mobile fish van to conduct business in its jurisdiction.
The meeting chaired by PMC Chairperson Dr Radhika Nayak was adjourned later, as Chief Officer Johnson Fernandes, who is also deputy collector, could not attend the meeting as he was busy with other government work.
Fish vendors from Ponda had threatened the mobile fish van operators of dire consequences if they conducted business in the town. The van had to move out and station itself at a site in Bandora Panchayat area and on the border of Ponda town.
Referring to a news report in The Goan, PMC Councillor Irvin Soares supported the government's move to sell fish through the van. Councillor Venkatesh Naik, however, said he had enquired and found that the van had no permission to operate in Ponda.
“The one who is selling fish through the mobile fish van in Ponda has taken the vehicle on rental basis from the fisheries society in Navelim. It doesn't have jurisdiction here. If it had jurisdiction, then it was mandatory to take an NOC from us,” he said.
Speaking to The Goan, Venkatesh Naik said the mobile fish van was not allowed to station in Ponda town, where locals earn their livelihood from the same business.
PMC chairperson Dr Nayak told media persons that no other important issue was discussed in the meeting and a fresh meeting would be called later.
