SGPDA, health officials inspect wholesale fish market, shocked at unsanitary conditions

Team Herald

MARGAO: Taking serious note of the issues raised by the fishing community pertaining to unhygienic conditions at the wholesale fish market at Margao, officials of South Goa Planning and Development Authority (SGPDA) and the Urban Health Centre-Margao inspected the market on Monday and assured they would take all precautionary measures to keep the market clean.

SGPDA officials told Herald that the GSIDC has asked for possession of the entire wholesale fish market area for speedy completion of the ongoing fish market project at the site and that the market may be temporarily shifted to a different site.  

Eusebio Silva, Sanitary Inspector, Urban Health Centre-Margao along with Francis Dourado, Assistant Engineer and Paul Gomes from the SGPDA, and a representative of the Margao wholesale traders association inspected the market and were shocked at the unhygienic conditions.  

 Eusebio Silva told reporters that they found lots of potholes filled with fish waste and water, and noticed that many drains were blocked.  “We have asked the SGPDA to make a way for the smooth flow of water and clean the drains,” he said. 

“GSIDC has asked the SGPDA to hand over the entire wholesale market area to them in order to complete the ongoing market project over here. We will have to make alternative arrangements for the wholesale fish activities,” said Francis Dourado, an SGPDA official. 

However, representatives of the wholesale fish traders objected to the closure of the entire market area.  

“Looking at the speed of the ongoing work here, the concerned authority will not be able to complete even the first phase within one year. Earlier, we were told that the work for the second phase will start after handing over the first phase to the fishing community, to resume selling their fish,” said the representative.