PONDA: Tension prevailed for a few minutes at Banastarim as the vendors conducting business by the roadside for the past few years were finally shifted to the newly constructed market complex on Thursday.
Vendors gathered in large numbers to avail the space allocated in the complex. Art and Culture Minister and local MLA Govind Gaude was present.
It may be recalled that the Portuguese era Market was demolished three years ago and a new market complex was constructed which was thrown open for the public on Thursday.
The weekly Banastarim Bazaar, which is held on Thursdays and Fridays, is famous for its annual matoli bazaar during Chaturthi.
Mardol Police rushed to the spot to maintain law and order as tension prevailed for a few minutes while shifting the vendors to the new complex and allocating spaces to them.
Tensions prevailed after some locals accused the panchayat of encouraging migrant vendors while allocating space in the market complex instead of according priority to local vendors.
Refuting the allegations, Bhoma Adcolna sarpanch Damodar Naik said the Goan vendors, who were conducting business at Banastarim market for several decades were given top priority while allocating space in the market and only those migrant vendors who were carrying out business at Banastarim for several years were allotted space in the market.
He said the panchayat is according priority to local vendors if they want to conduct business in the Banastarim market and alleged that some persons were making an issue out of nothing.
He said the panchayat has allotted spaces for local vendors on priority inside the new market, while the vegetables, fruits, cloth and migrant vendors have been allotted places outside the complex and have not taken a single rupee for allotting the spaces.
Constructed at a cost of Rs 18 crore by the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC), the new Banastarim market complex was inaugurated by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant last month. The building houses 54 shops and separate spaces for vegetable, fish and meat vendors. The complex has a parking lot in the basement and the first floor houses the community hall having a seating capacity of 450 and a library.
