MARGAO
Margao Municipal Council’s fiat to the fish vendors to stop the sale of fish outside the wholesale fish market by 10 am triggered a storm in the wholesale fish market on Thursday.
Hundreds of traditional fishermen inhabiting the coastline spanning from Cansaulim-Velsao in Mormugao to the villages of Colva and Benaulim in Salcete descended at the wholesale fish market on Thursday noon to protest against the move by the Margao Municipal Council and the SGPDA to what they called as plans to displace them from their occupation.
Realising the gravity of the situation, SGPDA Chairman, MLA Krishna Daji Salkar, Margao MLA Digambar Kamat, besides PDA Member Secretary Sheikh Ali descended at the wholesale fish market to reassure the traditional fishermen that the PDA or the MMC will in no way come in the way of their wholesale business activities outside the wholesale fish market.
After discussions with the traditional fishermen led by the president of the Goenchea Ramponkarancho Ekvott chief Agnelo Rodrigues and others, and after understanding the sentiments of the local fishing community, the PDA Chairman and the Margao MLA assured the traditional fishermen that they will continue to conduct their business activities on the platform outside the PDA wholesale fish market till the completion of the Phase I of the wholesale fish market.
In fact, the duo assured the traditional fishermen that the issue will be discussed threadbare with the PDA lawyer to evolve a solution to the satisfaction of the fishermen. In fact, Kamat suggested to the PDA Chairman that the PDA should file a report in the High Court at the next date of hearing scheduled on September 27 stating that the fishermen doing business outside the market will be stopped from conducting the activity after the commissioning of the market.
Trouble arose on Thursday morning when a Margao Municipal inspector upon instructions received from the Chief Officer Gaurish Sankhwalkar descended in the SGPDA market to convey to the fishermen doing business on the platform outside the wholesale fish market to stop the activity by 10 am.
Agitated over the instructions issued by the MMC market inspectors, a group of traditional fishermen rushed to the SGPDA to discuss the matter, only to realise that the PDA Member Secretary Sheikh Ali has proceeded to the Head office in Panaji for official work.
Contending that fish worth lakhs of rupees brought by them for sale in the market will rot if the same is not sold immediately, they all headed back to the wholesale fish market after being told that the Member Secretary will return back only at 3 pm.
As news soon spread along the coastal belt across Salcete and Mormugao, members of the traditional fishermen descended at the wholesale fish market in large numbers after being told that the PDA chairman and officials will be visiting the market at 3 pm.
Digambar later told the media that a solution has been worked out wherein the fishermen will be allowed to sell fish on the platform outside the wholesale fish market.
PDA will not displace traditional fishermen, reassures chairperson
MARGAO: As the situation threatened to go out of control at the wholesale fish market, SGPDA Chairman, MLA Krishna Daji Salkar reassured the traditional fishermen that the PDA will not displace them from their business operation till the completion of the wholesale fish market.
He said the High Court has issued some directions to remove the vendors in view of the stench and waste littered along the wholesale fish market road. “The area where the fishermen are doing the business belongs to the PDA. We have made temporary arrangements at the site for sale of fish in view of the work underway inside for the construction of a new wholesale fish market,” he said. “The PDA will place their genuine issue before the High Court with a suggestion that the area will be cleaned of vendors once construction of the wholesale fish market is completed,” he said, adding the PDA will come out with a holistic approach to the issue.
Questions over fixed timings when fishing has no time
