the goan I network
MARGAO
The RTO finally cracked a whip on vendors transporting and selling fish on motorcycles by issuing challans to as many as 47 violators for using the two-wheelers in violation of the registration.
Days after Director of Transport Nikhil Desai ordered a crackdown on the two-wheeler riders transporting fish baskets, officials of the RTO, Margao (Enforcement) headed by Pralhad Desai descended at the Margao wholesale fish market around dawn to reign in on the Motor Vehicle Act violators.
Around 47 private two-wheeler drivers, including two Karnataka registration number vehicles, were challaned by the RTO officers. No two-wheeler were detained by the RTO for want of space to park the vehicles, but the violators have been told to appear before the enforcement office, RTO with relevant documents.
RTO officer, Pralhad Desai told The Goan that the drive was initiated following a circular issued by the Transport Director directing the office to crack a whip on the two-wheelers carrying fish baskets. “We have not detained any of the two-wheelers given that there’s no space with the Margao police to park the vehicles. Instead, the violators have been told to produce their vehicle documents at the RTO office on Tuesday,” Desai said.
Hundreds of two-wheelers ride their way to Goa’s lone wholesale fish market at Margao in the wee hours of the day to transport and sell fish to the villages and towns. The issue over violation of motor vehicle rules came to the fore when a local resident of Raia Xavier Fernandes lodged a complaint with the Transport Director demanding action against the two-wheelers selling fish since they are not authorised to transport fish baskets on the vehicle. In his complaint, Xavier had stated that a number of Karnataka registered two-wheelers are also operating from the wholesale fish market, indicating that outside fish vendors are also involved in the transport and sale of fish in the villages and towns on two-wheelers.
Xavier had also complained to the Health authorities to conduct surprise checks on the mobile vendors to check the condition of the fish, maintaining that the ice is often seen melted in the baskets by the time the vendors reach the villages.
