Fish vendors of the Vasco fish market along with their advocate Fr Michael Fernandes during the meeting.
Photo Credits: Vikram Nayak
VASCO
The much-awaited Vasco fish market project faced yet another road block after fish vendors decided not to give their approval till the next municipal elections take place and a new set of councillors are elected.
This was decided at a meeting on the fish market project in the presence of Vasco Fish Market Association President Caridade Pereira and their advocate Fr Michael Fernandes.
Later speaking to reporters, Pereira said while vendors needed the market, they needed a written assurance from MMC on the beginning and completion period of the project.
"We want clarity because there should not be a situation where we move from here and the market is demolished and kept pending for years. We will have a new set of councillors in a few months and if they object or create an issue, we will have nowhere to go and hence we will wait till new councillors are elected and then give a go ahead to the project.”
“We want a written assurance from the newly elected councillors that they are OK with the fish market project. The new panel of councillors may have a different opinion and we are not sure what could be their plans," said Pereira.
Fr Michael Fernandes said it was important to know if ownership of the land where the present market was situated belonged to MMC.
"We want to know if the MMC owns the land because some claim that the land is private and we have written to MMC to clarify this point 15 days ago.”
“There are chances that someone can file a petition or seek a stay on this issue and hence, MMC must clarify on land ownership.”
“There is also another issue that money for the project was given by 14th Finance Commission to MMC for ward-wise development but this money was given to GSUDA for this project and we want to know if the MMC has taken permissions from the 14th Finance Commission to utilise these funds for this market.”
“Thirdly, we don't want to hurry on this project and we can wait for some more time because the term of these MMC councillors will end soon," said Fr Fernandes.
Fr Fernandes also said there are a lot of people selling fish outside the market without permission and MMC must stop such vendors before they take up this project.
“The MMC must implement its own law that retail fish must be only sold in the market," he added.
