MARGAO: Visibly upset fish, fruit and vegetable retail market traders of the South Goa Planning and Development Authority (SGPDA) market along with other traders on Tuesday met Chairman Wilfred D’Sa complaining about the rampant unauthorised retail trade happening at the wholesale fish market, whose affairs are often dominated by outsiders.
The wholesale market is not meant for retail trade and the uncontrolled retail business on the streets outside the wholesale market is not just illegal but allowed to take place.
This has led to loss of business for sons of the soil retail traders who operate legally from the designated retail market. They also complained with regards to bad maintenance of the market complex. The traders have also warned of not paying the Sopo tax if the maintenance inside and outside the market is not carried out soon.
The Chairman has assured solutions after holding discussion at the meeting of the Authority.
The vendors led by President of Federation of SGPDA Traders Felix Gonsalves. They have also complained of the absolute lack of basic facilities at the market complex. “Plants and trees on the sidewalk remain untrimmed, gates broken, tiles broken this is the state of the market,” they complained.
The market vendors have warned of stopping payment of fees to the SGPDA if there is no solution soon.
Chairman D’Sa said, “The problem of retail trade outside the wholesale fish market has aggravated and needs to be addressed. On their complaints a discussion will be held at the authority meeting and solutions will be found soon.”The traders have pinned hope on to the meeting that will be held and if no solutions, the trader will be holding a meeting of the federation to boycott the fees.
