Rotten fish row: Authorities inspect makeshift market at Seraulim after videos go viral

Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas with the officials of various agencies conducting joint inspection of the makeshift fish market at Seraulim.

MARGAO
As videos of rotten and stale fish being sold in a makeshift market at Seraulim, close to the Margao wholesale fish market, vent viral, authorities descended at the market along with Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas to take stock of the situation on Thursday morning.

The Benaulim MLA along with Margao Deputy Collector, Mohammed Shabir, FDA officer J Kudalkar, besides members of the Seraulim panchayat inspected the makeshift market and saw for themselves how migrants have converted the place into an illegal fish market.

Take note, all these migrant fish vendors have been doing business on the wholesale fish market road before authorities launched a crackdown upon the orders of the High Court.

During the inspection, FDA officials collected samples of the fish sold by the migrant vendors to ascertain whether the fish was stale and rotten and unfit for consumption. The report is expected to come after 2-3 days, sources said.

In fact, Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas took to the social media to announce that he led a joint inspection with Deputy Collector, Colva PI, FDA officials and Seraulim panch Jilu to crackdown on the unauthorised and unhygienic fish selling at Seraulim. 

Meanwhile, the authorities present for the inspection reportedly issued instructions to stop fish vending at the spot as a precautionary measure. The police were instructed to ensure that the area does not play host to fish vending.

MARGAO: Moments after the inspection team left 

the makeshift fish market near the wholesale fish market underpass at Seraulim, fish business was back as usual at the makeshift fish market with vendors doing roaring business at the spot.

Scribes found to their surprise that the makeshift fish market on the other side of the wholesale fish market, falling under the Seraulim panchayat jurisdiction, did roaring business, indicating that the joint inspection conducted at the site earlier in the day, had only temporary impact.

Meanwhile, Margao sopo contractor Milagres Fernandes showed to the media how the stale fish, which is being stored by the migrants, in vehicles near the wholesale fish market road is then sold at the makeshift fish market at Seraulim. “Normally, the stale and damaged fish is sent to the fish meal plant at the Cuncolim Industrial Estate. But, what we have found out is that the fish is being told to Goans by these migrants at the makeshift fish market,” he said.

In fact, questions are being raised why the district authorities, including the district Collector, has so far not intervened to stop the fish sale in an unauthorised and unhygienic place. “The district authorities should explain to Saxttikars how come the makeshift market at Seraulim plays host to fish vendors, if these vendors are barred from selling fish on the roadside in Margao,” remarked a citizen.