PONDA: At last the fish vendors conducting business in the old market and by the roadside at Marcel were on Tuesday moved to the new market shed constructed at KTC bus stand premises.
It may be recalled that earlier, the vendors had foiled an attempt by the panchayat and police to shift them to the new market shed citing various problems and lack of facilities. Since the old market shed area causes traffic congestion at Marcel, the government had decided to shift the vendors to the new shed.
It may be recalled that on March 15, last year, around 40 fish vendors conducting business in the old market at Marcel were shifted by Tivrem-Vargao Panchayat to the new market constructed for them at KTC Bus Stand Premises Marcel, but the very next day, they returned to old market and carried out business as usual.
The reason cited by fish vendors at Old Market was that there are some roadside fish vendors eating into their business and had demanded that the roadside vendors be brought under one roof. They had further said that until the roadside vendors did not agree to move to the new market shed, they would carry out business in the old market. However, roadside vendors were not ready to shift.
However, on Tuesday the roadside fish vendors were evicted by a private landowner claiming that they are doing business by encroaching on his land.
Following this, the panchayat shifted them to the new market shed. Left with no option, the roadside vendors and fish vendors at Old Market agreed to shift at New Market shed to conduct business after discussing their decision with the local MLA and the panchayat.
