CANACONA
Roadside fish marts have sprung up in different parts of Canacona municipality and while this unofficial trade has attracted many customers, there have been growing concerns that such activities may lead to road mishaps in the town.
One such roadside fish market, mainly comprising local fisherwomen, has sprung up along the busy Palolem-Agonda road junction.
According to locals, the site had been initially occupied by only a handful of local fisherfolk who would squat with their small baskets (pantle), sell fish and quickly leave the place. Now, about 20 of them mostly hailing from neighbouring areas arrive every morning and squat at the Palolem-Agonda for long periods of time.
Motorists travelling between Char-Rasta, Palolem and Agonda are forced to exercise caution at the junction, to avoid colliding into the fisherfolk or other motorists who stop to buy fish.
“It is a dangerous situation at the Palolem-Agonda junction as fisherfolk squat right on the roadside and occupy the sizeable portion of the narrow road to sell fish. To make matters worse, motorists halt on the road to make purchases. Accidents are waiting to take place,” said Dhiraj who, incidentally, had also stopped his car to buy fish.
Another motorist, who also stopped to buy fish, feared that if heavy vehicles were to veer off the road at that junction, it could lead to a major tragedy.
Locals said the roadside fish mart gets activated only during the monsoons, when fisherfolk bring their fresh fish from nearby municipal coastal areas (Palolem, Patnem, Colomb and Rajbhag) and sell them along the Palolem-Agonda junction.
Incidentally, besides the Palolem-Agonda junction, there are a number of roadside fish marts which have cropped up in Canacona municipality, even though there is a full-fledged municipal fish market at Chaudi.
Fisherfolk openly squat by the roadside at Char-Rasta, not only disturbing the flow of traffic, but also hinder public buses which halt to collect or drop passengers at Char-Rasta.
Between Char-Rasta and Chaudi, fisherfolk are seen doing brisk business at three different spots, one near the underpass of Manohar Parrikar Canacona Bypass road, under the railway bridge and opposite Chaudi church.
Besides, a fisheries department fish van halts to sell fish opposite the Dy Collectorate, while another group of fisherfolk assemble at Xeller, a short distance from the Canacona CHC at Dokmi.
With municipal authorities remaining silent, fisherfolk who had been allotted space to sell fish at the municipal fish market now occupy the public footpath outside the fish market, which is just opposite the Canacona Municipal Council (CMC) administrative building at Chaudi.
Residents have complained that while the CMC has failed to act against these encroachments, the Canacona police has also ignored the issue, especially at the Palolem-Agonda junction, despite frequently erecting barricades to hold checks at the site.
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Incidentally, besides the Palolem-Agonda junction, there are a number of roadside fish marts which have cropped up in Canacona municipality, even though there is a full-fledged municipal fish market at Chaudi.
Fisherfolk openly squat by the roadside at Char-Rasta, not only disturbing the flow of traffic, but also hinder public buses which halt to collect or drop passengers at Char-Rasta.
Between Char-Rasta and Chaudi, fisherfolk are seen doing brisk business at three different spots, one near the underpass of Manohar Parrikar Canacona Bypass road, under the railway bridge and opposite Chaudi church.
Besides, a fisheries department fish van halts to sell fish opposite the Dy Collectorate, while another group of fisherfolk assemble at Xeller, a short distance from the Canacona CHC at Dokmi.
