MARGAO:
The face-off between the SGPDA and the Margao Municipal Council led to the two autonomous bodies resorting to a blame game over the waste disposal in the PDA retail fish markets and the wholesale fish market.
Margao civic body’s contention
*The Margao Municipal Council got cracking on the SGPDA on July 25 last, imposing a penalty of Rs 50,000 on the planning body over the unhygienic conditions in the PDA retail market.
*On July 26, the MMC was back in action, this time issuing a notice on the SGPDA to show cause why the Civic body should not impose a fine of Rs 50,000 for the unhygienic conditions on the wholesale fish market road.
*MMC Chief Officer Gaurish Shankhwalkar further directed the SGPDA to henceforth segregate the waste generated in the SGPDA market on a daily basis.
*The Chief officer warned that failure to comply with the directions will compel the Civic body to initiate action and file a case before the appropriate court of law without any further notice.
*The MMC maintained that the improper management of solid waste and sewage within the SGPDA retail market is causing environmental pollution in the vicinity.
*It is reported that the waste generated in the SGPDA retail market is dumped outside the compound in the fields in unsegregated manner.
*The segregated waste which is being dumped in the adjoining fields is posing problems for handling, managing and disposal of waste.
*The second show cause notice issued to the SGPDA stated that the black colour liquid and thermocol and other plastic waste being generated on account of business activity of sale of fish at the SGPDA Wholesale Fish Market, is the cause of waste strewn all along the wholesale fish market road.
*The act of discharge of black colour liquid from the vehicle (trucks) carrying frozen fish and haphazardly dumping of such thermocol and other Plastic waste along the Margao-Seraulim road and in the adjoining fields by fish vendors or by the contractors or by the members of wholesale fish owners Association authorised by the PDA in the activity of wholesale fish business in SGPDA wholesale fish market is prohibited under laws in force.
SGPDA’s rebuttal to MMC charge
*The Margao Municipal Council is duty bound to collect and clean the waste generated from the market yards within the Civic jurisdiction. The area where the garbage is disposed, falls beyond the area of SGPDA’s wholesale fish market.
*The wholesale fish market area is within the compound wall and is being maintained and cleaned up every day by the labourers after the fish vehicles leave the market.
*The garbage which is disposed of outside the area of the wholesale fish market. i.e. thermocol boxes, are by the vehicle people, who park their freezer vehicles besides the road within the area of MMC.
*As regards discharge of block colour liquid from vehicles carrying fish, these vehicles doesn’t belong to the SGPDA as these vehicles are of the wholesale fish traders.
*The MMC under their power of local authority must impose fine on each and every vehicle, which are discharging the black colour liquid.
*The MMC should carry out their own duty of collection of garbage regularly and keep the area clean and in hygienic condition.
*The MMC is directed to clean and clear all the waste such as plastics, thermacol boxes etc accumulated along the roadside and to keep the wholesale fish market clan and in hygienic condition.
*As far as the retail fish market is concerned, the MMC should clean the garbage dumped in the adjoining areas as a local civic body and impose fine of the persons/vendors dumping waste outside the market compound walls.
*”The MMC itself doesn’t collect garbage and blames the vendors for not segregating the waste, forcing the vendors to dispose the same at some other places.
*The foul smell, stench/odour is sometimes felt in the PDA retail fish market due to the failure of the MMC to collect fish and meat waste or wet garbage daily. It is quite natural that foul smell will spread if the wet waste is allowed to be kept for days without being lifted, as is done by the MMC at times.
