Sanitation around SGPDA meat stalls ‘turning from bad to worse’

The PDA must have won accolades for the renovation of the fish market  on the Dubai fish market model. But, just meters behind the fish market,  the sanitation situation around the meat stalls is turning from bad to  worse.

In fact, stink and filth welcomed SGPDA and Margao Municipal  officials in the meat stall complex in the PDA retail mega market, even  as the PDA claimed that authorities such as the Health department, have  all turned a blind eye to the sanitation issues around the meat stalls.

Taken  aback by the stinking environment pervading behind the meat stalls,  Margao Municipal Chief Officer Siddivinayak Naik said the area is  totally unhygienic, fearing that people may abstain from procuring their  meat requirements from the stalls.

SGPDA official Paul Gomes told  the media that the Health department has not responded to the  correspondence made by the PDA to initiate action against the meat  stalls contributing to the nuisance and sanitation. And, he suspected  political interference behind the delay in initiating action against  some of the stall owners, who have encroached on the drains, blocking  the flow of waste water.

“The PDA had issued notices to the meat  stall owners in the past to clear the encroachments on the public drain,  but in vain. Our plea to the Health department to initiate action  against the erring meat stall owners on the sanitation front has also  not brought the desired effect on the ground,” Paul said, hoping that  the Margao Municipal Council would not clamp down heavily on the stalls.

MMC  Chief Officer Siddivinayak Naik said that the MMC would like the area  around the meat stalls in the PDA market to maintain bare minimum  hygiene. “We will ask the PDA to deposit certain amount of money with  the civic body to take up clean up operations of the meat stalls.