Policemen crack whip in over 2-hour operation to clear vendors
the goan I network
MARGAO
In a major operation that lasted for around two hours and half, coordinated by the SGPDA and the Margao civic body, dozens of policemen led by Margao police station in-charge, PI C L Patil descended at the wholesale fish market shortly after dawn to crack a whip against the illegal retail fish sale.
Two hours and half later, at around 8 am, the entire market was cleared of retail fish vendors, including the dozens of migrant women, who double up as loaders and retail fish vendors in the wholesale fish market.
Tension was palpable in the market since this is the first time that the SGPDA and the MMC tried to assert its authority in the wholesale fish market. SGPDA officials, however, maintained that there was no major obstruction faced by the officials and the police from discharging their duties. The MMC also seized boxes from the market and shifted the same to the municipal building.
The PDA and MMC cracked the whip first against the vendors selling fish, vegetables and fruits along the road side before entering inside to stop the retail sale of fish. Traditional fishermen who claimed they were wholesalers were spared, while those selling fish in retail were ordered to stop the activity forthwith. A visit to the market at around 8.30 am revealed that retail vendors were conspicuous from the market for the first time, while PI Patil and a strong posse of policemen maintained a vigil.
SGPDA officials, including Assistant Engineer Jose Mascarenhas and planning assistant Paul Gomes assisted in the operations, while MMC market inspectors Seema Godge and Hasina Begum led the municipal workers in the operation. MMC Chief Officer Y B Tawde later made his presence felt to supervise the operation.
Both PDA and MMC officials informed that they have been issued orders by the respective bodies to carry out the operation till Sunday.
The crackdown comes three days after the visit of the TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai to the wholesale on Saturday, wherein he had issued clear directions to the PDA Member Secretary Ashok Kumar and MMC Chief Officer Y B Tawde to stop the retail fish sale in the wholesale fish market.
