Vasco fish market protest: Municipality to provide written assurance to vendors

This was discussed at a joint meeting with the vendors and their representatives in the presence of GSUDA officials.

Tension continued at the Vasco fish market on Friday morning, when a large police force arrived at the site.

The police presence provoked the fish vendors to unite along with the traditional fruit vendors and they warned of mass agitation if any attempts were made by the police to force them to shift to the new temporary shed.

Some traditional fruit and vegetable vendors, who are from Nuvem and Verna, contacted a political leader and took him to the market on Friday.

The situation became more peaceful when the police took a round near the market premises and then left from the location.

The MMC then requested the fish vendors to attend a meeting with GSUDA officials in the afternoon. The vendors arrived in large numbers outside the MMC building, this time with more political leaders, activists and heads of various fishing bodies, who had pledged support to the fish vendors.

A strong police force was present in the MMC building to avoid any untoward incident.

MMC Chief Officer Jayant Tari interacted with a 10-member delegation of the fish vendors and listened to their demands.

The fish vendors demanded a written assurance that fish wholesalers and roadside vendors would be stopped. They also demanded an assurance on the time frame for the completion of the new fish market and a guarantee that all fish vendors of the present fish market would be accommodated in the new fish market after completion.

Tari assured the delegation that MMC would pay heed to their demands and would also give written assurances to them.

Tari assured to issue an immediate order and give directives that fish sale around the Vasco fish market be stopped immediately, along with a copy to the police to enforce the order.