Team Herald
MARGAO: Even as the promised roadside farmers’ markets remain a distant dream, hundreds of local vendors from rural Goa continue to risk their lives by selling their produce on the roadside to earn a livelihood.
These local vendors are forced to travel kilometres, often by unreliable public transport, carrying their wares, to reach cities and towns in order to find customers to buy their produce.
These vendors, known for their farm fresh vegetables and greens, can be seen sitting on the roadside for hours and hours under the hot sun, and braving the rains during the monsoon.
It may be recalled that the late Manohar Parrikar, during his tenure as Chief Minister, had assured that he would implement the ‘roadside markets’ concept for such vendors.
However, it appears that the State government is finding it difficult to go ahead and set up these markers, as the concept does not fit within the boundaries of the law.
Team Herald visited a few places in and around the commercial town of Margao, besides a few rural areas wherein hundreds of such local vendors, who are mostly engaged in cultivating their own vegetables in their agricultural fields, sell their produce sitting by the roadside.
They unanimously said that they were still waiting for Parrikar’s assurance to be fulfilled as they are facing a tough time in travelling with their produce, and also face the risk of accidents.
These roadside vendors with their stacks of seasonal fruits and vegetables can be seen dotting the highways from Quepem to Verna and from Margao to Ponda.
“We are just being fooled by these assurances, but nothing happens on the ground. As a result, our struggle continues,” said Raviwati Gaonkar from Balli, who sells locally grown vegetables in Margao.
She is one of the many vendors who has travelled to Margao, nearly everyday, for the last 30 years.
“Yes, sitting on the roadside is a risky job, but we have no other option. Many times, when big vehicles come speeding, I hold my breath, hoping nothing bad happens. We work amidst the fear of vehicles running over us,” said Raviwati.
Sukanti Gaonkar, a roadside vendor from Morpila, said she has been travelling to Margao for the past 20 years.
“There is a high risk of accidents during the school hours as parents are seen in a rush. Many times, we get customers who stop to buy vegetables or fruits, and they park their vehicles on the road, increasing the chances of accidents and traffic congestion, and putting our lives in danger,” she said.
Anuja Gaonkar, another vendor, told Herald that the political leaders from their constituency promised to help them find a market to sell their produce, but nothing happened.
Reliable sources from the Agriculture Department said that the government had discussed the roadside markets concept before, but found that it cannot be implemented from the legal point of view.
So, these poor vendors from across the Southern district, will have to continue to struggle to sell their gaunti produce sitting by the roadside.
