MARGAO: The South Goa Planning and Development Authority wholesale fish market opened amidst chaos on Friday, since the COVID-19 lockdown and ban period.
Failing to complete the new procedures to get entry inside the market, several vendors with their vehicles conducted business on the roadside.
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The officials of Quality Control India appointed by Food and Drugs Administration tested fish from the 20 vehicles and then the vendors were allowed to do business inside the market. The rest preferred to sell their fish outside the market.
SGPDA Chairman Wilfred D’Sa said that there is a need for transparency in the testing process of the fish.
“We will have CCTV cameras installed inside the lab that has been provided to the FDA for testing. The QCI has to do it in close doors according to their mandate but we will seek permissions to have a transparency,” he said.
“The SGPDA has written to the South Goa Superintendent of Police and the Margao Municipal Council not to allow the vendors to sell on the road side. On the first day of the arrangement there was a total chaos,” he informed.
“The infrastructure at the market too is in a precarious state with the building also in bad shape and place unclean.”
He further said that an estimated work of Rs 18 crore for the development of market is planned. But since there is lack of fund, the SGPDA will now resolve at the meeting to handover the land to the Fisheries Department and utilise the Central government fund to develop the market.
