TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: South Goa Planning and Development Authority vendors have resolved to enforce a Margao bandh on December 10 if the government fails to allot space for the religious structure inside the market complex.
The threat comes following the failure by the government to take a call on the sensitive issue till date. “The government had promised to clear the proposal for a religious structure in the market at the Cabinet meet on November 27. Till date, nothing has been heard from the government on the issue. We are giving the government just four days to act or we will go ahead with the proposed Margao bandh on December 10”, warned leader of SGPDA vendors Felix Gonsalves.
Flanked by Curtorim MLA Reginaldo Lourenco and city-based lawyer Adv Anacleto Viegas and market vendors, Felix told the media at the SGPDA market complex on Wednesday evening that the vendors will no longer take things lying down. “If the government does not want to honour its promise, we will show our strength on December 10”, he added.
The Curtorim MLA said the Chief Minister is known for unfulfilled promises, warning that the vendors and citizens will not sit quiet if the government does a volte face on the religious structure. “There is no problem if the government does not settle the issue. But the government should brace up to face the consequences”, Reginaldo warned.
Adv Anacleto Viegas said the government is simply dilly dallying on the allocation of space for worship by citing Supreme Court directions. “The Supreme Court ruling is not applicable in the SGPDA market. The government is just fooling the vendors and the people”, Anacleto said.
A vendor Bostean Cardozo warned the government not to test the patience of the vendors by delaying the matter. “We have been quite because the Chief Minister had promised to solve our issue. The time has now come for us to act”, she warned.
