MARGAO
Officials of the South Goa Planning and Development Authority (SGPDA) went on a hunting spree in the city on Monday to identify suitable land for the shifting of the wholesale fish market operations to pave way for the construction of a modern market.
With the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) insisting the SGPDA hand over the entire wholesale fish market to expedite the construction of the modern market, PDA officials have been left with no option but to scout for an alternate land to house the makeshift wholesale fish market for the next six month to one year.
SGDPA Chairman Krishna Daji Salkar, Member Secretary Vinod Kumar, PDA official Paul Gomes, engineers and officials of other agencies and representatives of the fish traders inspected a couple of sites in the city and explored the feasibility to accommodate the wholesale market.
The delegation inspected the land near KTC bus stand, PDA parking and pick-up stand, and the acquired land near the SAG sports complex to assess the feasibility of housing the market.
After the meeting, the PDA chairman said the team has identified four sites on Monday. He said the final site will be shortlisted by the PDA after a meeting with MLAs Digambar Kamat and Vijai Sardesai.
He further said that the PDA will take the stakeholders, including the boat owners, fishermen and fish traders before zeroing in on the site.
“Since the wholesale fish market development is being executed by the GSIDC, the PDA has handed over to the agency wholesale fish market land admeasuring around 55 per cent of the total land for development."
"The GSIDC has completed the work on the land handed over by the PDA, but is now asking for possession of the total area to expedite the construction work,” Salkar said, adding that the PDA will finalise the site by next week.
