MAPUSA: Chaos reigned supreme at the Mapusa market on Tuesday when the municipality ordered the vendors, who sold traditional items meant for Chaturthi festivities, to move out of the market.
They were told to set shop either on the land acquired for the bus or at the taxi stand.
Since the land acquired for the bus was not levelled and due to other inconveniences, the traders created a huge ruckus; later, the civic body allotted only a metre-long stretch at the market for the traders with their traditional wares.
As this stretch was too little for traders, a large number of aggrieved ones had to return home with their unsold items.
Like in the past several years, people from several villages had flocked to the market to sell traditional items meant for the Chaturthi festivities. But this year, the civic authorities tried to put a spoke in their wheel.
The sellers claimed they hailed from Mapusa and have been doing business for the past 20 to 30 years during the festival time but this time, the civic authorities played spoilsport. These sellers included many housewives and aged women.
The traders alleged that the locals were not allowed to sit in the market but non-Goans vendors were doing good business since municipality is getting more money from them than the local vendors.
They also alleged that people from Karnataka & other areas are allowed to carry out their business but not the locals.
While vacating the market, the municipal staff also attached their stock.
