Market, filled with fish, fruits… also GARBAGE

SHWETA KAMAT

shweta@herald-goa.com

The Panjim Municipal market area is abuzz from 7 a.m till late evening with vendors busy selling fruits, vegetables and other household items. The market is attached to a small fish-meat market, which is crowded only during the first half of the day. 

The market houses Goa’s famous cartoonist Mario Miranda’s iconic sketches, which today, however, are barely visible in certain areas as red stains are splattered all over the walls. The pathetic condition of the market is visible from the garbage that overspills from garbage bins placed around in the vicinity.

The situation is worst for the fish sellers, who worry that customers will be driven away by the filthy existing conditions -- overflowing septic tanks, accumulated garbage and vermin infestations -- that are getting terrible in the monsoons. 

As one enters these two prime markets, the stink and unhygienic conditions is what is visible with both customers and the vendors complaining of the dirty surroundings. 

“Every time there is heavy rain, the sewage comes bubbling out and floods the entrance. Being the rainy season, the entire area stinks due to fish smell as well as due to the septic tank. But still, having no other alternative place, we are forced to seat here and sell the fish,” said Fatima Miranda, a fisherwoman.

In what is a filthiest mound of rubbish, composed mostly of fish guts and putrid animal scraps, are strewn in the open all over. The civic body has completely ignored the cleanliness of the fish market, with vendors still waiting for better selling conditions promised to them five years back in the third phase of municipal market. 

During the development of the first and second phases of the main market complex, vendors selling fish, beef and chicken were told they would be given place in the complex where they could sell their produce.

While the vendors in the main market meticulously sweep and wash their respective spots, all the garbage collected is strewn outside on the sidewalk. This waste is lifted by the municipal workers but not on regular basis though. 

“We collect and keep the garbage for CCP to lift it. They don’t come on daily basis and even if they come, they don’t pick the entire waste. Hence, the waste get accumulated and stinks,” Mohammad Malik, a vendor, explains.