Margao wholesale fish traders want CM to resolve sopo issue

Team Herald

MARGAO: Alleging that the South Goa Planning and Development Authority (SGPDA) is extorting money from the wholesale fish traders through illegal sopo collector, the Margao Wholesale Fish Market Association on Tuesday demanded Chief Minister’s intervention into the matter. 

Addressing the media persons after the annual general body meeting at Fatorda, Ibrahim Moulana, president of the association, along with other officer-bearers urged to reduce the fee from Rs 500 per hour to Rs 100 per day. 

He also brought to the notice of media, the three months time given by the High Court of Bombay at Goa to float tender with regard to sopo collector, which is ending on December 27, and hence they will not pay money to the SGPDA if legal sopo collector is not appointed. 

“The High Court had issued direction to the SGPDA to float a tender for appointing labour for collection of levy/fees at the wholesale fish market within a maximum period of three months. This order was issued on September 27. And hence, the given period will be ending on December 27,” said Ibrahim. 

He further said that at the general body meeting of the association, they deliberated on the above issue and resolved to demand that the SGPDA to act as per the directions of the High Court. 

“At the moment, the sopo collector appointed by the SGPDA has no legal aspects and the sopo collector is extorting heavy fees from the wholesale fish traders. We condemned such acts. Rs 500 are collected on hourly basis,” said Ibrahim. 

He also charged the SGPDA Chairman and Nuvem MLA Wilfred D’Sa’s involvement in the money extortion. 

“We will take future course of action after December 27, if the SGPDA fails to act as per the High Court directions. 

The association alleged that the SGPDA failed to maintain the cleanliness in the wholesale fish market, despite several memorandums urging it to act upon. Even the Health Department failed to look into the matter of unhygienic conditions at the market. 

Ibrahim even highlighted the issue of duplicate notes being circulated in the market and expressed suspicion of sopo collector’s involvement. 

It is pertinent to note that Herald has highlighted the issue pertaining to duplicate notes few days back. 

“We want the Chief Minister’s intervention into the matter at the earliest,” he demanded.