Team Herald
MARGAO: Vendors and customers at the South Goa Planning and Development Authority (SGPDA) retail market have appealed to the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Minister Vishwajit Rane and SGPDA Chairman Krishna ‘Daji’ Salkar to inspect the conditions of the market as soon as possible.
The vendors and customers were complaining of the foul stench emanating from the area surrounding the market where garbage is dumped, waste water from the fish market flows, which are irregularly cleaned.
Salkar had carried out inspection last month before his meeting of the SGPDA Board. Vendors said that there is a need for a fresh inspection given that the problems continue to persist.
“Not any small action where it is cleaned one day and again waste is dumped next day. During the monsoon, the garbage and waste material is getting mixed with the rain water. This could lead to health problems for the public,” said Gopal Kamat from Margao.
“The stench is so bad in the market we are unable to sit here for too long. The stench is always there but in the monsoon it has become worse,” said a lady vendor.
Incidentally, following complaints, SGPDA officials cleaned the garbage from the market premises on Tuesday evening but vendors claimed there needs to be a holistic plan to see that the market and the surrounding area is kept clean permanently.
They vendors also blamed the public for dumping garbage in the open and added that there are some persons who travel in private vehicles to the market and dump their garbage there.
The vendors and customers said action should be taken against those dumping waste in public places.
Vendors added that the waste generated from their kiosks is sent to the waste treatment plant located near the retail market.

