PRATIK PARAB
Tired of the promises made by the politicians the New Market Vendors Association has now decided to teach the politicians a lesson if they further delay to fulfill their demands. A delegation of more than 70 businessmen met the Margao MLA Digambar Kamat on Tuesday demanding permanent ban on the exhibitions cum sale held at SGPDA Ground.
The Margao MLA has advised the association members to be a part of the meeting of the SGPDA on April 22. Digambar suggested that they put in their request at the meeting.
“When I was the chief minister we had taken a decision not to allow over six exhibitions cum sale in a year. However, recently there has been a sale every week and the demand of the businessmen is genuine,” said Digambar. “I have called the businessmen for the meeting of the SGPDA on April 22 where the MMC will also be present. They can place their demand which can be discussed,” he added.
“If we have authority to give relief to the businessmen we are open. But we cannot ban the exhibitions completely and so I have called them to ensure a proper decision which is in the legal framework and not arbitrary,” Digambar said.
“If Sanvordem can stop these exhibitions, then two MLAs in Margao and Fatorda, who are in control of the town, can definitely give us relief,” said Vinod Shirodkar, a businessman.
“We have been supporting the MLA all this time and if he helps us with this we will continue in more force,” said Vinod.
“If the sale is not stopped soon we will stop going to meet MLAs. We will take to the streets and forcibly stop the sale and exhibitions. Law has to protect the common man’s living and if it doesn’t then the only option is to take law in our hands,” said one of the vendors.
“The SGPDA and MMC say that they get revenue from the sales. But at what cost, by killing our resources? In this case there is no option left, except revolt,” he added.
The demands of the market vendors include the stopping of exhibitions cum sale and setting up of water tank for fire safety. The request for the water tank has been pending for a long time now and no solution has been reached yet to solve this important issue.
In addition to these, there are also no facilities for sanitation for women available the new market.
The present toilet constructed by the municipality is unhygienic and badly maintained.
The association has also been requesting the municipality to the address the issue of parking in and around the new market.
The MLA of Margao, while commenting on the parking issue, said, “The parking for vehicles coming to the town is being planned by the GSUDA and hope the issue of parking in the market is solved soon. The fact that the vehicles of the businessmen of the market have increased quite an extent is also a notable problem,” said Digambar.
The buildings in the area have reserved a parking for the occupants of shops/flats of their respective buildings. But the people who come to these buildings for their work use the parking facilities meant for the traders of the new market. This results in complete congestion of the existing space available for parking.
“The vendors have written several times to the MMC through our association but all the requests have not been addressed by the municipal authorities despite several reminders,” said a member of the association.
