PANJIM: The Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) on Wednesday sealed 12 shops in Panaji fish market building in order to facilitate its demolition.
It may be recalled that on August 14, the CCP had directed occupants of the shops to vacate the premises within 24 hours as it had decided to demolish it.
The building was declared unsafe last year and notices were served to the shop owners mostly selling meat asking them to vacate the premises.
The Corporation has obtained structural stability report from the Government Polytechnic, Panjim, according to which, the building has outlived its economic life and is in distressed condition and presently the building is unsafe for human occupation.
However, speaking to O Heraldo, Panjim Market Tenants Association president Rajendra Dhamaskar criticised the CCP’s move saying that the shop owners should have been given alternate arrangement before sealing the shops.
“They were promised that some arrangement will be done and a temporary arrangement will be made for them, but still there is no sign of that. Today, without any information, the shops have been sealed. The water and electricity supply has been cut off. It is total injustice. What was need to do so, when they were ready to shift?” he questioned.
Meanwhile, CCP Councillor and Market Committee chairman Bento Lorena said, “The matter is being handled by CCP Commissioner. The demolition will hardly take three or four days. Once demolition is over, the shop owners will be accommodated in the market.”
In January, this year, the CCP had approved the demolition of the building and the construction of temporary fish stalls.
