SUNDAY, MAY 12, 2024
Team Herald
Goa's Chicken Vendors united in opposition to the proposed hike in membership and shop registration fees by the All Goa Poultry Shopkeepers Association (AGPSA), denouncing it as a scam. The protest, held at Azad Maidan, Panjim, saw vendors demanding the immediate dissolution of the association.
The AGPSA recently declared an increase in shop registration and membership fees, setting them at Rs 10,000 and Rs 4,500, respectively, to be paid within eight days. Poultry retailers vehemently objected, asserting the right of individuals to make their own choices about association membership and resisting any attempts at coercion.
One member of the All Goa Chicken Vendors revealed that representatives from AGPSA had threatened business owners, attempting to restrict chicken trading and force closures. “Six months ago, a group of people claimed to be from a union that represents poultry owners came to all of our chicken vendors' shops. This organization gradually changed its name to All Goa Poultry Shopkeepers Association, and they chose a president, vice president, and other official leaders without telling us. They have not disclosed to us the creation of an association with adhered-to norms and regulations. The shop registration and membership fees have now been increased. The new amounts are Rs 10,000 for shop registration and Rs 4,500 for membership, which must be paid within eight days. Within eight days, if a member does not enrol, the shop registration fee will climb to twenty thousand dollars per store. If they didn't, they threatened to close” said Roy a member of All Goa Chicken Vendors
The protesting vendors argue that poultry businesses can function without compulsory registration, and they insist on the immediate dissolution of AGPSA. In response to the association's ultimatum for fee payment, vendors express concerns over potential business shutdowns and import restrictions on chicken. In an effort to gather more information about AGPSA, the Chicken Vendors filed multiple RTIs and sought assistance from activist Tara Kerkar. They claim that AGPSA deleted crucial details, including photographs of the association's leaders signing a memorandum with Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant, upon learning that legal documents were allegedly falsified.
