PANJIM: Corporation of City of Panaji (CCP) councillor and market committee chairman Bento Lorena has claimed that only 200 forms were sold as another 200 were sold to carpenters and traditional furniture stall owners to put up their stalls at the annual Ashtami Fair in the city.
Clarifying the CCP stand, Lorena said that it was decided to allow 408 stalls for the 15-day Ashtami Fair. Of these maximum of 200 forms were given to carpenters and traditional furniture stall owners, who according to him, have been regularly participating in this fair. He said that of the remaining 200 forms, only 100 were sold since most of the councillors demanded that local vendors be permitted to put up stalls.
“There was a request by many councillors to allow local vendors and self-help groups (SHGs) mostly from the capital city. Due to this we distributed the remaining 100 forms to local vendors through councillors,” he said.
Lorena further clarified that vendors were mostly allowed to put their stalls during the feast held in December every year and not during the Ashtami Fair. He said that Ashtami Fair could not be held for the last two years due to the Covid pandemic but this year the stalls had to be accommodated at Campal due to ongoing construction work under Smart City Mission.
Lorena said that the forms were sold at Rs 200 per form by the taxation office and refuted allegations of black marketing by the councillors. He said that this year the Corporation gave preference to local vendors. “There is no rule to give forms or stalls to vendors. Who are they to create ruckus?” he questioned.
The Ashtami Fair will now be held from August 18 to September 1, he said.
On the other hand, CCP commissioner Agnelo Fernandes refused to meet the media.
Meanwhile, many vendors on Wednesday charged that the forms which were priced at Rs 200 were sold for thousands of rupees. Many vendors queued outside the CCP building for the second day hoping to buy forms but in vain.
One vendor Shaila Vernekar from Fatorda alleged that she was standing 10th in the queue to buy the form and that she was allotted form number 266. “How can I be given form number 266 when I was standing at 10th position in the queue?” she asked and alleged that the forms were sold at an exorbitant price.
