Ponda Municipality shifts Matoli bazaar to original place

Team Herald

PONDA: Ponda Municipal Council (PMC), on Friday, passed resolution to bring back and operate the annual two-day ‘Social Matoli Bazaar’ to its original traditional place in front of Ponda market after request from several matoli vendors. Only two councillors opposed the resolution stating it would create traffic problem.

Fifteen councillors supported the decision. Several matoli vendors and public had complained that ever since the traditional Matoli Bazaar had been shifted behind the market (which is popularly called as Airport road) since the past two years, they are facing losses. 

The vendors were unhappy saying matoli buyers are not turning up at the new place as it is unsuitable and instead make their matoli purchases from elsewhere. This ultimately affected the livelihood of the traditional matoli vendors. 

Speaking to reporters after meeting, Chairperson Pradeep Naik justified the council decision saying that over 300 vendors, mostly farmers from Ponda and surrounding talukas were complaining that they were not getting customers during the two days of special matoli bazaar.

Pradeep said the PMC and Traffic Department would divert vehicles through an alternative route and parking arrangement would be made so that vendors can sell their produce. “It will not affect traffic. The livelihood of several vendors is more important,” said Pradeep.

PMC also passed a resolution to provide NOC to some locals of Ponda to record their names and houses in Bandora Panchayat as after delimitation of constituency these locals are no longer citizens of PMC but included in Bandora Panchayat. It was also resolved to make compulsory a dress code for door-to-door garbage workers of PMC so that they could be identified properly.