Team Herald
MARGAO: The Gandhi Market Vendors on Tuesday met the Municipal chairwoman and the chief officer over the complaints of vending being allowed full-fledged beyond the market areas.
The vendors also alleged that the sopo collector was overcharging them.
The delegation of vendors was led by former municipal chairman Rajendra Ajgaonkar and others. The vendors complained that the gaddas and vehicles parked near Bank of Baroda in the market areas are allowed to stay and vend till 9 am. “We are warning the MMC if they don’t stop the business of these vehicles by 7 am, we will take it upon ourselves to chase them away,” Ajgaonkar threatened.
He demanded that small-time Goans who come to sell their produce in the morning be allowed to operate.
Chief Officer Siddhivinayak Naik said that he would have to take his team in confidence as an earlier order allows the vendors to sit till 8 am. The complaints were that there are persons coming as vendors with large goods carrier vehicles and eating up businesses of small-timers and are blocking roads till 9 am too.
“We will block road, if they are not removed,” Ajgaonkar threatened.
The chairwoman and chief officer were unanimous on the decision to clear the ones who the Gandhi Market vendors have complained against.
The Gandhi Market vendors also complained that the Sopo collector is overcharging them. Assuring action, the officials asked for a written complaint against any such incident.
The complaint of an insufficient toilet block for vendors and insufficient water to that was also raised. “There is one toilet in Gandhi Market and that too is not well maintained. The market starts at 3 o’clock in the morning and by the time its morning the water in the toilet is over. Some persons are bathing inside these toilets which are resulting in water scarcity later,” a lady vendor complained.
The vendors have also complained that it’s been one year since the permissions which the vendors sought for electricity connection are pending. “Meetings happen and nothing is done,” complained a vendor Ashraf Pandial.
The chief officer said that the issue of allowing electricity connections will have to be referred to Director of Municipal Administration for which the chairperson has asked for seven days.
