MARGAO: There appears be no changes in the venue of stalls during the feast of Holy Spirit Church at Margao on May 19, even as NGOs demanding shifting of the stalls were targeted by vendors on Thursday morning.
After carpenters and furniture owners opposed their shifting to the land acquired for the proposed non-conventional energy park on grounds that heavy down pour would flood the low lying fields, Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardessai and MMC Chairperson Arthur D’Silva decided to permit the furniture stalls along the district court-Ravindra Bhavan road as usual.
Incidentally, MMC Chief Officer Deepali Naik told newsmen that she has issued an order this evening to the agencies concerned to take care of any encroachments on the roads and footpaths during the fair. Sources said the order has been issued to save herself from any contempt proceedings filed by the NGOs in the event the footpaths are encroached upon by the vendors.
NGO representatives including Laurel Abrancehs and Melvyn Fernandes came under fire from the vendors for mooting the idea to shift the furniture fair from alongside the road. The vendors roughed up and heckled Melvyn, who the vendors accused, was trying to play spoil sport with their business.
Laurel tried to explain to the vendors that the non-conventional energy park venue was suggested by the Margao civic body and they were in no way to be blamed for the municipal decision. He said that the NGOs had only proposed shifting of the stalls to the adjoining SGPDA ground to avoid traffic jam.
Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardessai who arrived at the spot at around 11.45 am questioned the demand raised by the NGOs for shifting the fair, saying the people of Fatorda have no objection to the traditional fair. He said it was the responsibility of the civic body to take care of the encroachments on footpaths, adding that the congestion on the roads should be tackled by the traffic cell.
Meanwhile, addressing the media at the Ravindra bhavan this evening, Chairman of Green Goa Foundation Raison Almeida asserted that he would withdraw his Public Interest Litigation filed in the High court.
Abranches said the furniture stall owners gheraoed them after MMC Chairperson Arthur D’Silva pointed fingers at them when they arrived at the site inspection. “It is the municipality that had decided to shift the furniture to the low lying acquired land. We have no role in the decision of the civic body,” Laurel added.
