Team Herald

PANJIM: The State government has informed the High Court of Bombay at Goa that stakeholders will hold a meeting for a solution to open the wholesale fish market at South Goa Planning and Developing Authority.

“The concerned stakeholders will meet and come out with some solution, in terms of which the wholesale market can be opened. In terms of communication dated May 9, 2020 issued by the Collector of South Goa District, it is already clarified that there can be no objection as such to the opening and operation of the wholesale fish trade activities,” Advocate General Devidas Pangam said during the hearing of a petition, on Tuesday.

However, the AG submitted that such activities can be held only within the certain permissible hours and further the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs will be strictly adhered to.

During the hearing, he further said that if various authorities are granted some time, they will certainly be in a position to come out with some solution so that opening of the SGPDA market is not delayed any further.

“Now that the AG states that it is possible that the issue is sorted out, we grant some time for the same. The AG states that necessary meetings in order to find a solution to be held in this week itself and some decision will be communicated to the petitioners latest by June 20, 2020,” the Division Bench of Justice M S Sonak and Justice M S Jawalkar said.

Advocate D Lawande, appearing for the Margao Wholesale Fish Market Association pointed out that they have complied with every single condition referred to in the notice dated May 12, 2020 issued by the SGPDA except for one condition. He submitted that there is no concept of registration of vehicles with the Directorate of Fisheries and FDA, and that the FDA has set up inspection units at Pollem and Patradevi and at these inspecting units, the FDA inspects the fish particularly to trace the presence of formalin or other impermissible chemicals.

Lawande said that once there is a clearance from the FDA, the particular condition can said to have been substantially complied with.