PRATIK PARAB
pratik@herald-goa.com
The Margao Municipal Council elections in 2015 were fought on a campaign of ‘change and hope for a better MMC.’ This hope and change mixed well with the assembly election flavour of 2017 which resonated all over Goa for the Goa Forward Party President Vijai Sardesai.
Now, it has been 3 years for the Council and almost nearing a year for the Elections and some of the collaborative assurances and the dreams manifested by the City fathers have begun taking shape. However, if we have a look at the process of the same it hasn’t been very smooth with several road blocks in every single work.
As we are in South Goa and the most important landmark for the South Goans is the fish sold here and the Wholesale Fish Market of Seraulim, let’s begin with the Wholesale Fish Market. Plagued with issues of indiscipline inside and outside the fish market premises by public as well as the fisherfolk, the market tangle for MMC looked to be impossible. The SGPDA, MMC, MLA, Police, Traffic Cell jointly did several operations to decode the wholesale market jinx of being always out of order. Nothing seemed to be helping until recently the TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai had to make some very frantic attempts to put things in order. Even though after being in command of Fatorda for quite some time the TCP Minister couldn’t resolve the crisis for a substantial number or years. However light of hope was seen at the end of the tunnel as the MLAs from the Coastal belt along with the associations of fishermen have paired up together for a complete overhaul of the market.
On the progress of the SGPDA wholesale fish market, TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai said: “GSIDC has to first float a tender for the consultant which is in the final stages now and after that a consultant will be appointed.”
“We have already done the ground work by and large on the project and now we plan to compartmentalise the wholesale fish market into three areas — one will be meant for local ramponnkars, magkars and indigenous fishermen, second will be for the trawler owners of Goa and third will be for traders who bring fish from beyond the state and sell it here,” Vijai added.
