MAPUSA: The Mapusa fish vendors on Friday threatened to stage a dharna outside the Goa Legislative Assembly during the ongoing monsoon session if the government fails to find a way to supply them with fish at the earliest. The vendors have also demanded resumption of import of fish other States.
Meanwhile, tension gripped the Mapusa fish market on Friday when, defying the ban on import of fish, some agents arrived with a stock of fish from another State, which the Mapusa Fish Vendors Association opposed from being sold in the market.
On learning about the arrival of fish stock at the Mapusa market, the President of the Mapusa Fish Vendors Association, Shashikala Govekar rushed to the market and confronted the agent. She demanded to know how the fish arrived in the Mapusa market when there was a ban on the import of fish from other States.
Shashikala claimed that the stock of fish that arrived in the Mapusa market was spoilt and contaminated. The Fish Vendors Association confronted the agent and demanded that the stock be sent back.
Speaking to reporters, Shashikala informed that she asked the agent to take the fish back and not to sell it in the market.
“When the Margao market is completely deserted and there is no sale of fish there, how did this stock of 40 boxes of fish arrive in the market? How the vehicles carrying the fish consignment was allowed to enter the State? The Opposition (parties) is shouting in the Assembly that there should be a ban on fish. The question is how did this stock of fish arrive in the Mapusa market?” Shashikala asked.
“The government should look into this issue at the earliest and find a solution. If the local fisherwomen do not get a chance to sell their fish in the market over the next few days, we will be compelled to protest at the assembly complex,” she added.
