After a long wait, the half-dozen meat vendors from the Panjim fish market are finally on the verge of reclaiming their rightful space. Their shops were demolished in August 2023, and now, they are being offered new spaces within the market premises. The stalls are currently being painted, and electrical work is expected to be completed this week. The six vendors are likely to resume operations sometime next week.
Mannasab Bepari, president of the All Goa Meat Vendors Association, expressed satisfaction with the development. “We have not earned anything for over a year. Reaching this stage feels excellent,” he said. “Customers also suffered. It was convenient for them to buy fish and meat in one place, and that was suddenly taken away. It was a big loss for everyone.”
Of the six newly allotted shops, five will sell meat, while one will offer chicken and mutton.
While Bepari welcomed the development, he noted concerns about the limited space, which may make it difficult to accommodate essential cold storage equipment needed to keep meat fresh. Still, he said the vendors would manage and are now awaiting the allotment letter from the municipality.
This move to provide new stalls follows a Supreme Court order issued in January 2025, directing the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) to rehabilitate the displaced meat vendors. The Court ordered that the vendors be given fixed spaces within a temporary structure originally meant for fish sellers. It also mandated that the stalls be equipped with deep freezers, refrigerators, meat-cutting facilities, security shutters, and access to water and electricity—basic infrastructure essential for their trade.
The delay in implementing the Court’s directive has come at a significant cost. Many vendors were forced to operate from distant villages or cease operations entirely, suffering heavy financial losses and a sharp decline in their customer base.