Team Herald
MARGAO: Former minister Mickky Pacheco has demanded that import of fish from other States be banned forever and not merely for a fortnight. However, he demanded that if at all fish is imported, it should be transported in proper vehicles having refrigerating facility.
He also called for shifting the wholesale fish market in Fatorda to Seraulim.
He questioned why Goans do not get the fish caught by Goan trawlers, given the fact that the trawler owners get subsidy for purchasing the vessel and also on its operation through the subsidy on diesel which is paid for by the government from the taxes that Goans pay.
“Why should Goans not get the benefit of getting cheap fish caught in Goa when they are paying through the taxes for all the facilities offered to the trawler owners?” he asked while admitting that some fish like ribbon fish and the actual squids called “bebo” by the fisher folk that are not consumed in Goa could be exported.
There are 837 trawlers registered in Goa and the catch from these vessels should be sufficient for the Goan consumer he said while castigating the chief minister for his statement that the tourism industry would suffer if fish is not imported.
“The chief minister should be concerned about the health of Goans and not the tourism industry,” said Mickky and insisted that import of fish should be banned totally.
Briefing media persons, he recalled that three months ago he had cautioned that all was not well with the wholesale fish market and demanded a through enquiry into its functioning. “The formalin issue has now vindicated what I had said three months back, but unfortunately nobody took me seriously then,” he lamented.
He said the fish that is imported to Goa is filled in ordinary vessels and packed with ice that is laced with formalin. “These trucks enter the wholesale fish market in the night and the fish and ice is first washed off and only then the fish is brought out for sale to the retailers,” he said.
He accused Ibrahim Maulana of having formed an illegal association of fish traders with around 16 members and alleged that Ibrahim decided the price at which the imported fish has to be sold. “If a basket of fish actually costs Rs 100 he sells it for Rs 250 thereby making a clear profit of Rs 150,” he said.
Mickky then explained how the agent takes his cut and sells it to the retailers at a higher price and then the vendors sell it for a higher price and hence the Goan consumer is forced to pay a high price for the fish that is actually cheap.
He alleged that Ibrahim and his association collect Rs 200 as entry charge from each of the 120 to 170 trucks that come from other States with fish and further alleged that Ibrahim is now paying commission to Vijai Sardessai because of which the minister is supporting him.
Dismissing Vijai’s claim that he has nothing to do with Ibrahim, Mickky said that Ibrahim had canvassed for Vijai in Muslim dominated areas and further added that Ibrahim definitely has some links with Vijai’s wife Usha.
“Ibrahim along with Usha and Wolfango have purchased over 20,000 square metres of land in Seraulim village under the name of a company and they can shift the whole sale market there if Vijai is serious about removing the market from Fatorda,” Mickky said.
