MARGAO: Upon the directions of the High Court, the Margao Municipal Council (MMC) and the South Goa Planning and Development Authority (SGPDA) rushed at the site to take stock of the prevailing unhygienic conditions at wholesale fish market and assured to come out with a solution by October 9.
A joint inspection was held on Wednesday evening by both the authorities after they were pulled up by the High Court on the issue.
Interestingly, the Wholesale Fish Traders’ Association alleged that the SGPDA failed to keep the fish market clean.
Gaurish Sankhwalkar, Chief Officer, MMC, Shaikh Ali Ahmed, Member Secretary, SGPDA, Shakh Zahid, General Secretary of Wholesale Fish Traders’ Association besides few other officials took stock of the prevailing situation.
The inspection was held following the court’s directions to visit the site immediately and come out with the solution pertaining to unhygienic conditions and vendors selling retail fish at the wholesale fish market.
Speaking to reporters after the inspection, Sankhwalkar said that a joint meeting will be called to discuss the matter in detail.
“We will certainly come out with a solution before October 9, a day for the next hearing. The High Court had issued some instructions pertaining to maintaining hygiene in the wholesale fish market. Another issue was with regard to several vendors selling fish at retail rates at the wholesale fish market,” he said.
He said that they will come out with the solution and decide whether to allow retail fish selling at the wholesale fish market or not, as there is a separate retail fish market owned by SGPDA.
The Chief Officer assured that the issue pertaining to parking on the roadside will also be resolved, when questioned by the reporters.
Shaikh Zahid said that wholesale fish traders are ready to help the authorities to maintain hygiene in the market.
He alleged that SGPDA is just collecting money from the traders and vendors but failing to maintain the market properly.
“We had even offered our help to the SGPDA, but there was no reply from the authority. Traders are ready to help in keeping the market clean,” he added.
According to him, the issue of traditional fishermen cannot be sidelined as they too need a place.
However, Shaikh Ali Ahmed clarified that they are doing all efforts to keep the wholesale fish market clean and hygienic.
