MARGAO: The blame-game between the South Goa Planning and Development Authority (SGPDA) and the Margao Municipal Council (MMC) over the unhygienic conditions at the commercial capital’s retail market persists even as the Margao urban health centre has flagged various problems that have led to the prevailing conditions there and directed that immediate measures be taken to prevent the spread of vector-borne diseases.
The SGPDA, on whose premises the market operates, has told the UHC that the waste generated at the retail fish market is regularly segregated by its labourers and placed in the respective bins provided by the MMC. It has put the onus on the municipal council to ensure that the bins are regularly cleared in order to prevent a build-up of festering waste that could cause several diseases.
“At one point, however, the MMC didn’t collect the garbage on a daily basis for reasons best known to it, which in turn attracted stray cattle and dogs,” the authority’s member secretary, Shaikh Ali Ahmed, said. “Also, fish waste generated from fish-cutting stalls are placed in the bins to be lifted by the MMC on a regular basis. If the MMC doesn’t clear these bins on a daily basis, a foul smell permeates the air.”
He further maintained that contrary to the urban health centre’s statements that the chambers and drains at the retail fish market are blocked, the drains are cleaned regularly and there has been no incident of a back-up. “Coconut shells and other waste scattered around the retail fish market are being cleared regularly and strict instructions are given to the vendors to dispose of them and other waste generated by their businesses,” Shaikh stated in the SGPDA’s reply to the UHC’s notice.
The UHC had earlier pointed out that fish waste was found dumped opposite the fish-cutting stalls, emitting a foul smell. Besides, garbage was noticed in the open space in front of the public toilet, attracting stray cattle and dogs, the UHC had stated in its notice to the SGPDA.
