TEAM HERALD
PONDA: Following the fire incident at VPK-Bazar, Curti-Ponda, which gutted property worth over Rs 1 crore, VPK Bazaar Chairman Pandurang Gaude has set a target of three months to restart operations.
VPK Bazar, a part of the VPK Urban Cooperative Societies, has two supermarkets, one at Mardol and another at Curti-Ponda.
Pandurang said they have set the target of three months to restart VPK Bazar at Curti and the process has already begun. “The VPK Bazar at Curti has 26 employees and we have decided to pay salaries to these employees during these three months which is about Rs 1.50 lakh per month,” informed Gaude.
The VPK Bazar committee members recently met Minister for Cooperation Deepak Dhavlikar for necessary help from the government. “The minister has assured help and even shareholders of the VPK have extended their support to restart VPK Bazar at Curti,” added Gaude.
According to information, the Bazar has insurance cover of about Rs 70 lakh and the modality process is in progress to claim the insured amount.
Gaude further informed that they decided to deploy security guards, especially at night, at two of its bazaars (Mardol and Curti).
According to Ponda fire department, the total loss estimated in the fire incident was about Rs 1.46 crore and the cause of fire is still under investigation as the Electricity Department has claimed that the fire cause was untraceable. The Ponda Fire Department is waiting for the report on the incident from Ponda Police.
