SIOLIM: Siolim vendors, who have been selling their local produce near the village ground for years have demanded that the panchayat provide them with a shed and other basic facilities including a toilet.
It is pertinent to note that for years, Siolim’s weekly bazaar is held at the above spot. Not only at the weekly market but on a daily basis the locals especially the women from the village sit by the roadside to sell the local produce including vegetables, cereals, rice, coconut, oil, chillies, fish etc.
The vendors complained that in the absence of basic facilities, they are forced to sit in the scorching heat to sell their produce. To add to their woes, they claimed that the area lacks a public toilet and since most vendors are women, they face inconvenience. The panchayat collects sopo from vendors and even after requesting the village body several times, it has neglected their issues, the vendors claimed.
Since the vendors sit by the roadside, consumers park their vehicles on the road which leads to traffic congestion.
Bhagirathi Chodankar, a vendor in her 60s, said, “There is no shed or toilet facility. We sit in the open to sell our produce. From the last 30 years I am conducting business here. If the panchayat provides us with proper shed then it will be of great help.”
Chandrakant Parsekar, a local said, “There are no proper facilities such as sitting space for the vendors and the area has no parking and toilet facility. Consumers park their vehicles on the road which causes traffic congestion. The panchayat collects sopo but has failed to provide any facility for so many years.”
