Team Herald
MARGAO: While promising to introduce another trawler and renovate the SGDPA fish market, Fisheries Minister and Navelim MLA Avertano Furtado inaugurated the mobile fish van allotted to Navelchea Xetkarancho Ekvott (NXE) Co-operative Farming Society on Sunday.
The inauguration of the fisheries department 5th mobile fish van was held in the morning in Navelim Rosary Church compound which was followed by blessing of the vehicle by the Navelim church Parish Priest Fr Jose Roque Gonsalves. M Ibrahim, president of the Wholesale Dealers Association was also present for the function.
NXE has also made arrangement to sell fish (prawns and mackerels) at very reasonable rates immediately afterwards.
While speaking to the gathered people, Avertano assured that the government is committed to supplying fish to Goans at reasonable prices and for that the fisheries department will soon introduce another trawler to the existing trawler to meet the growing demand and would soon introduce mobile fish carts in Benaulim and Fatorda constituency.
After the event, responding to queries, Furtado pointed that this mobile van is the first in Navelim village, after the four mobile vans launched earlier at Panjim, Chapora, Cutbona and Canacona.
The fisheries minister explained that if local self-help groups (SHGs) and co-operative societies approach the department, they would be provided with these mobile vans and that they can operate them in their respective localities and cautioned that the vans would not be given to individuals.
While stating that Malim and Cutbona boat owners unions have extended full support to supply fish to the mobile vans, Furtado added that prawns and mackerels had also been procured from Malvan, Maharashtra for selling, in view of the present fishing ban. Speaking on the occasion, Fr Gonsalves praised the initiative of the government and expressed happiness that besides providing fish at reasonable rates to the people, this would also allow youth to gain employment.
Joseph Vaz of NXE also spoke and expressed his gratitude to the fisheries minister for giving the mobile fish van. He further announced that the fish van would supply fish to Navelim, Aquem, Telaulim, Aquem Baixo and Davorlim on a daily basis
When asked about the status of the SGPDA’s wholesale fish market, Furtado said he would personally follow the government’s plans to undertake the upgradation of the market infrastructure that is presently in an extremely bad state.
