MARGAO, AUG 25
Chief Minister Digambar Kamat on Wednesday came out to strongly bat for Margao’s New Market Traders over the demand to ban exhibitions-cum-sales at the BPS club grounds.
Following Chief Minister’s strong and overt support to the traders, the Margao Municipal Council this evening rejected the application for the exhibition-cum-sale scheduled at the BPS ground on August 27.
The Chief Minister today had a joint meeting with a delegation of the market traders, Margao Municipal Council and the organizers of the exhibition over the question of banning exhibitions-cum-sales in the city.
The traders told the Chief Minister during the meeting that the exhibition-cum-sales at the BPS club has badly hit their business and demanded a ban on the activity.
Led by president of New market Traders Association, Vinod Shirodkar, the traders said the sale at the BPS club premises causes acute traffic congestion in the locality and recalled that the district Collector, south G P Naik had directed the Civic body not to grant permission to the BPS club to hold exhibitions unless they make parking arrangements at the venue.
“We have no objection to exhibitions, but the traders are opposed to sales as the activity has adversely hit our business”, he said and warned that the traders would be forced to take the law in their hands if the Civic body fails to stop the exhibitions-cum-sales.
The organizers submitted to the Chief Minister that they have already made arrangements for the August 27 exhibition-cum-sale at the BPS club venue and sought the goa-ehad nod from the Civic body.
After the meeting, the Chief Minister later categorically told newsmen that it is his responsibility to protect the interests of the local traders. “Since the new market traders have opposed the exhibitions-cum-sales at the BPS, it is my responsibility to protect the interest of the local traders”, he asserted.
When contacted, Margao Municipal Chairperson Savio Coutinho said the CM at the meeting spoke about the law and order situation if permission is granted to the exhibition-cum-sale, and asked newsmen to contact the Chief Officer Y B Tawde for more details.
