MAPUSA
Calling the shifting of vendors as a scandal and a fraud on the people of Mapusa, former chairpersons have rubbished the method used by Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC) in accommodating the vendors in the new vegetable market.
“There’s a big scandal in the allotment of the space inside the vegetable market. There are many unknown people (who are not vegetable vendors) sitting inside. I can say it because I have been visiting the market since 1985,” said Subhash Narvekar, former chairperson of Mapusa.
“For example, there’s one boy who’s sitting inside vegetable market who was taking matka bets near Alankar last week,” Narvekar said.
According to Narvekar, the boy won’t remain in the vegetable market for long and that the place would be sold to some other person for a price.
“There are many such persons in the new vegetable market and these are all supporters of some of the councillors,” he alleged.
Many local vendors, some of them having ID cards issued by MMC have been ignored, while migrants who have no ID cards have managed to corner prime spots in the market.
“A fraud has been committed on the people of Mapusa and its immaterial who has done it,” said Ashish Shirodkar, a former chairperson, who’s now president of Mapusa Merchant’s Association.
“The vegetable market is a public property and the allotment should have been done by way of auction or by draw of lots in total transparency,” he added.
He said that The Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act 2014 provides for the creation of a Town Vending Committee (TVC).
“The act legitimizes livelihood rights of street vendors, but here authorities concerned have failed to form TVC and trampled on rights of these vendors,” he said.
Another senior and former chairperson Michael Carrasco faulted the procedure followed by the council in lending space to vendors in the new market.
“There should have been no reservation done in the new market. The vendors should have been allowed to come, sell their produce and go on a daily basis,”
Carrasco argued.
According to Carrasco, the problem has arisen because there was more number of vendors then the space inside the market. He disagreed on the issue of migrants getting larger space in the market then the locals.
“Basically, Mapusa market is full of outsiders. If there are more outsiders what can anyone do,” he argued.
Stating that grave injustice was done to local vendors, former chairperson Sneha Bhobe wondered why wholesale vendors were allowed space inside the market. She also questioned the chief officer’s role in the whole incident.
“The chief officer is nowhere in the picture. Only councillors are seen around. The chief officer should have taken active role in the allotment procedure,” Bhobe said.
Former chairperson Rupa Bhakta confessed that some vendors who failed to get space inside the market had approached her.
“The picture is not complete yet. The council is still trying to resolve the problem. And hopefully everyone will be accommodated, if not inside at other place,” she said.
