TEAM HERALD
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
MARGAO: Beef-loving Goans had to go without their favourite delicacy for second consecutive day, even as the hustle and bustle in the vegetable markets finally returned on Wednesday.
While vegetables made their presence in the stalls after two days of shortage, beef stalls and cold storages reported shortage of beef on Wednesday as well. Imported meat from neighbouring Belgaum too failed to make its presence felt. Cold storage owners said they hope the supply from Belgaum would resume from Thursday.
Meanwhile, two days after the shortage, fresh stocks of vegetables arrived in the Gandhi Market ~ the main vegetable market in the commercial capital ~ and other smaller markets.
Leader of Gandhi Market vegetable vendors, Babu Azgaonkar, said the vegetables arrived in the State on Wednesday after the Belgaum transporters postponed their strike till May 8 on account of the Karnataka Assembly polls. He said that the issue will come back to haunt the Goa government and the citizens in general after the Karnataka polls and appealed to the chief minister to scrap the entry tax taking into account the interest of Goans.
He reiterated his demanded that the entry tax should not be introduced until and unless local vegetable growers are given a big boost by way of subsidies.
“The government is spending Rs 15 crore annually as subsidy to buy vegetables from Belgaum. It will make a huge difference if cash incentives are given to Goan vegetable growers,” he added.
Azgaonkar said the chief minister should see reason and scrap the entry tax, saying only Goans will have to indirectly pay the tax imposed on the transporters.
