MARGAO
The Margao Wholesale Fish Market Association has on Tuesday set November-end as the deadline for the South Goa Planning and Development Authority (SGDPA) to carry out proper illumination as well as maintain cleanliness in the wholesale fish market.
The wholesale fish traders have threatened that they will not pay the fees to the Sopo contractor from December 1 if their demanded cleanliness of the wholesale fish market and its illumination is not met by November-end.
They claimed that some of the fish traders receive fake currency notes, saying that unscrupulous elements have taken advantage of the lack of proper illumination in the market.
Addressing the media, president M Ibrahim said that the association has submitted a memorandum to the SGPDA to act on its demands in the next one week, failing which he said the wholesale fish traders will not pay the sopo fees.
Ibrahim said any law and order problem arising out of the situation from December 1 will be the sole responsibility of the SGDPA and the PDA-appointed sopo contractor.
He claimed that the upkeep and maintenance of the wholesale fish market has turned bad in recent days despite the fact that the wholesale fish traders have been paying the sopo fees fixed by the SGPDA.
“When the fish traders are paying the sopo fees, we also expect the SGPDA and the contractor to carry out the maintenance of the market. In the absence of proper illumination, we have received fake currency notes in the last couple of days. The lights in the market are not working for more than two months. Only one point on one pole is working. Thus, there’s total darkness around the market in the morning, a situation not conducive to carry on with the business,” Ibrahim added.
