MARGAO: An altercation broke out between South Goa Planning and Development Authority contractor Milagres Fernandes and wholesale fish trader Maulana Ibrahim on Saturday at the wholesale fish market prompting the SGPDA chairman Wilfred D’Sa to state that authority may shut down the market if no social distancing is practiced.
Milagres and Maulana got into an altercation amidst utter chaos at the fish market. In his complaint to the Fatorda Police Station, Milagres alleged that he was shoved away by Ibrahim.
He said, “The Government and the SGPDA have to deploy police here and take action against the traders, who are not maintaining social distancing. We won’t come to the market to collect the charges from tomorrow.”
Refuting the allegations, Ibrahim said, “I have not shoved him away. He came to close my fish truck, which is not his job. He had to make sure the people are let in one-by-one to prevent overcrowding and make sure social distancing is maintained.”
“We have got the barricades, we are paying hefty fees to the PDA and what are they doing to maintain social distancing,” Ibrahim asked and added that until the timing of the market opening is brought down to 4 am from the present 6 am the crowd will continue.
“Social distancing has become impossible to handle,” SGPDA chairman Wilfred D’Sa said adding that they may as well shut down the market if there is no success. D’Sa said, “The traders had pledged in the court that they will maintain social distancing. But, they are doing nothing. If this chaos continues, we will have to decide to shut the market at the review meeting”.
