MARGAO: Accusing the Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardessai of giving away the wholesale fish market at Margao to migrants at the cost of Goans, former minister Francisco alias Mickky Pacheco has demanded that the government immediately do away with the agents operating there failing which he has threatened to take to the streets with the local fishing community.
Briefing media persons, Mickky said that the wholesale fish market that was set up to help Goan fishermen sell their fish has been completely taken over by migrants. He said that 80 per cent of the market is taken over by migrants who occupy the prime area which is well illuminated while Goans are given only 20 per cent of the area on the periphery that is in darkness.
“The outsiders bring their fish at midnight and at 4 am when the market opens; their trucks carrying fish from outside Goa enter the market first while Goan ramponkars are forced to remain outside,” he said and added that the entire wholesale fish trade is controlled by four migrants who are all close to Vijai Sardessai he alleged.
“The four mega agents are Ibrahim Maulanna, Abubhakar, Sultan and B M of which Ibrahim is Vijai’s business partner,” alleged Mickey adding that these four through their sub agents have formed an organisation that fixes the rate at which the fish is to be sold to the retailers and people.
“If the case is costing Rs 200 it is sold for Rs 400 and by the time the retailer sells the fish to the consumer in the villages or at the tail end, the fish basked cost escalates to Rs. 800 and that is why today Goans cannot afford to purchase their staple food fish,” he said.
Mickey demanded an immediate eradication of the agent system at the whole sale fish market and demanded that the government take control of it failing which he threatened to take to the streets with the fishing community.
“I do not mind fish from Karnataka or Maharashtra being sold in Goa, but it should be sold at reasonable price and not to enable somebody to make money,” he said adding that the four wholesalers share their spoils with their protector.
GOVT ATTITUDE: While expressing sympathy with the hardships faced by the mining dependant people, Mickey however outright condemned their behaviour in Panjim during their strike and the manner in which they humiliated and harassed the common man.
