MMC faces flak for ignoring New Market

TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: Margao new market traders on Thursday took out a morcha on the Margao Municipal Council in support of its various pending demands, including a halt to permissions for sales in the city.
Led by New Market Traders Association president Vinod Shirodkar, the traders gheraoed MMC Chief Officer Deepaii Naik demanding resolution of their demands, including a stop to permissions for sales.
The traders later called on the police and also Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardessai seeking support for their demands. Sardessai is believed to have underlined the need to regulate the sales and exhibitions, while lashing out at the BJP-led government for ignoring the sentiments and demands of the small traders.
In its memorandum, the traders lamented that representations made to the civic body in the past were kept in cold storage without any action. Reminding the Chief Officer that the New Market has hit by three fire incidents in recent times, Shirodkar underlined the need to put in place fire hydrants in the market premises. The traders also drew attention of the Chief Officer to the pathetic and unhygienic condition of the market toilets and demanded immediate action by either repairing the existing toilets or building new ones. Saying that traders had sought permissions to carry out repairs of their shops, kiosks and establishments, the traders lamented that the permissions have not been forthcoming from the civic body till date. They pointed out that trade licenses have not yet been issued to majority of the traders on various grounds. The CO gave the traders a patient hearing and assured to redress their grievances.