VASCO: Baina residents have demanded prompt action against the errant roadside fish vendors and others for encroaching upon the roads which has resulted in traffic congestion in the area.
A memorandum signed by over 500 residents was handed over to the Chief Officer of Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) as well as to MMC Chairperson Deepak Naik on Monday morning.
Despite the municipality providing a fish market at Baina to cater to the needs of people from Baina and surrounding areas, still some vendors are selling fish illegally at various places in Baina and that too along the roadside. Public areas such as the ones near Baina Youth Recreational Club, near Nandadeep building, near Valmiki Building, near Dr Prabhu Clinic, near MMC garden etc are being used to sell fish, the residents alleged.
The residents also complained of traffic congestion in Baina due to presence of scrap yards and abandoned vehicles by the owners along the roadside.
“We are very much upset with the illegal sale of fish, as their operations alongside the road on the busy route cause severe traffic congestion besides this they are also causing nuisance. Though we have personally requested such vendors to move out and operate from fish market area they have refused to pay any heed to our requests. Today we have submitted a memorandum to the MMC with a plea to take action against such erring vendors and if MMC fails to act then we would be compelled to come out on streets,” warned Jayant Jadhav, a Baina resident.
Another resident said, “Keeping with the government initiative of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, we aim to make Baina clean from dirt and pollution and also lessen the traffic congestion in our area so that public especially children, ladies and senior citizens are not inconvenienced. We hope that MMC acts fast and provides us with some relief”.
MMC Chairperson Deepak Naik assured to provide relief to the residents by taking strict action against the erring fish vendors. He said that though MMC had initiated a special drive against such illegal sale of fish at Baina but still the vendors have resumed their operations in the evening. But now a special team will be deputed to act against such vendors. On scrap yards operations causing public nuisance, Naik said MMC would soon issue notices to these scrap yards to move out of the residential areas.
