The Vasco market used to be flooded with marigold as severalvendors used to sell the flowers during the festive season. However, this yearthese vendors were conspicuous by their absence. It is understood that localflower sellers at Vasco on Monday turned back around 13 flower-laden trucksbelonging to vendors from Maharashtra who had come to the port town to sellmarigold flowers for Dussehra. The local vendors claimed that they would notlet “outsiders” do business in the port town. This is absolutely unacceptable.The civic authorities should have stepped in and not allowed this to happen.They should have control over the local market. Every Indian has the right todo business in any part of the country. The residents complained that the localvendors were selling flowers at exorbitant rates at the Vasco market. Presenceof vendors from other states would have provided stiff competition to the localflower sellers and the price would have dipped. It is pertinent to note thatduring the annual Saptah festival in the port town, hundreds of vendors fromvarious states bring their goods for sale at the fair that come up along the Swatantrapath. This fair is possible only because of vendors from other states. Thecivic authorities in the various cities should see to it that vendors fromother states are allowed to do business in their respective cities.
ADELMO FERNANDES, Vasco
