The government has asked us to stay safe at home and most of us disciplined obey the orders. When we need essentials we go for quick shopping with the local vendors sitting outside the market area or on the pavements and on the Taleigao footpaths, selling their locally grown produce in their adjacent fields.
Also we see number of vendors selling groceries, coconuts, pineapples and bags of rice etc. in their vehicles and some through motorbike going house to house. This is a great opportunity to them to earn their living and most of them charged exorbitant rates and poor people buy without arguments as they are afraid of Coronavirus and the timing given to the citizens for shopping till 3 pm, (now at 6 pm) which was recently announced by the government.
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There are also some vendors coming from the neighbouring States with their produce to sell and are camping at Santa Cruz, Merces, Ribandar, Taleigao and Dona Paula without any permission from the Traffic Department. This is a great opportunity to make good business out of COVID-19 pandemic as the lockdown/curfew goes on extending every time.
Panjimites, who were dependent on the Panjim market for all kinds of shopping, saw all essentials, including fish supplies coming from different parts of Goa, since the market was closed for shopping due to some vendors testing COVID-19 positive.
Now, surprising due to pressure from our City MLA, the Corporation of The City of Panaji and other authorities decided to keep it open for certain hours to alleviate the suffering of Panjim people.
Since the market was closed for several days all together, many supplies got rotten such as jack fruits, mangoes, pineapples, chikoos and other fruits. This gave rats a chance to eat them. Many vendors after cursing the authorities were seen throwing all the rotten fruits into the garbage bins. This was a gala time for the rats to enjoy during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the people are safe at home.
