MARGAO
When formalin laced with fish row had erupted in the wholesale fish market half-a-decade ago, panic-stricken fish-loving Saxttikars had turned to the Colva-Benaulim coastline to lay their hands on fish, fresh and free from chemicals.
Similarly, during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the borders were sealed and the markets shut, fish loves again headed to the Saxtti coast to procure fish netted by the traditional fishermen.
Closure of the wholesale fish market by 10 am by the South Goa Planning and Development Authority (SGPDA) seemed to have left the traditional fishermen in the lurch and fish lovers denied of fresh fish.
The fishermen have no idea how things would unfold in the coming days as the SGPDA has restricted their business timings in the wholesale fish market at 10 am. Fish lovers too had to go without the fresh fish netted by the traditional fishermen with the market shut down after the prescribed timings.
Consider this. Just around Sunday noon, a group of fishermen were all huddled around a country-made fishing canoe, on the Benaulim shore, collecting fish entangled in the fishing net.
Around the same time, another country-made motorised canoe was being pulled ashore by the fishermen. Inquiries have only revealed that after slogging out in the sea for well around six hours, the fishermen have returned back to the shore with moderate fish catch.
Anxiety, however, was palpable on the minds of these fishermen “ how to go about selling the fish catch with the SGPDA wholesale fish market shut after 10 am. “The fishermen used to normally head straight to the SGPDA wholesale fish market with the catch for sale. Since fishing has no fixed timings, we used to go to Margao whenever we returned back on the shore with the fish catch,” he said.
Another fisherman pointed out that the unfolding situation will deny them the right to sell their catch at the SGPDA wholesale market and also deny the opportunity for the fish lovers to buy fresh fish.
In fact, fishermen appeared a worried lot since lack of marketing facilities may leave them in the hands of unscrupulous wholesale fish agents. “There are chances that agents will take advantage of the situation by procuring our catch at throw away rates. One solution to the problem is that SGPDA earmarks a dedicated space inside the wholesale fish market to sell the fresh fish netted from the sea,” sources said.
Compliance reports on wholesale market issue to be filed in HC today
MARGAO: The stage is set for the Margao Municipality and the South Goa Planning and Development Authority (SGPDA) to file compliance reports in the High Court when the matter comes up for hearing on Monday.
At the last date of hearing, the High Court had directed the authorities to hold meeting with the stakeholders, including the wholesale fish traders, to ensure that no fish trucks are parked on both sides of the wholesale fish market road.
Both the MMC and the SGPDA held a meeting with the stakeholders followed by a joint inspection of the wholesale fish market before they cracked a whip against the retail fish vendors doing business outside the wholesale fish market road and capping the wholesale fish market business timing at 10 am.
Sources in the Margao Municipality informed that the Municipal Chief Officer is expected to file a compliance report cum affidavit in the High Court on Monday based on the action initiated by the civic body outside the wholesale fish market.
The High Court had taken cognisance of the litter and thermocol waste strewn all along the wholesale fish market road in the 02 of 2007 Suo Moto PIL when the court expressed its total unhappiness over the pathetic condition of the situation.
What made matters worse for the SGPDA and the MMC was a factual report submitted by the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) before the High Court, confirming that all isn’t well in and around the wholesale fish market.
