TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s promise to create bazaars along the highway and permanent marketing facilities for vendors from the state’s hinterland may ring in good news for beleaguered local vendors fighting for space along the roadsides and on footpaths to market their produce.
But, hold on. A similar promise handed out by the Parrikar regime during its first stint in office to earmark space for seasonal vendors from the state’s hinterland selling fruits and vegetables in the commercial capital still remains a pipe dream.
In the absence of the marketing facilities, the vendors – hailing from the talukas of Quepem and Canacona – have been left with no option than to sell their produce alongside the city’s drains and footpaths, sometimes inviting wrath of the municipal inspectors and workers.
As muskmelons and other seasonal fruits and vegetables made their presence felt in the commercial capital in a big way, the traditional vendors lament that they have no authorised space to sell their produce. A vendor Satyawati Velip from Morpilla-Fatorda says that they had shifted to Margao from Navelim years ago, but are still waiting for a permanent outlet to sell the produce.
Presently, the seasonal vendors sell their produce from the footpath alongside the road leading behind the police station, old market, old bus stand and near the Holy Spirit Church square.
Earlier this week, the vendors had called on acting Municipal Chairperson Berta Cardozo with a plea not to stop their business. Cardozo agreed that there’s a need to allocate space for the seasonal vendors for the benefit of the customers.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister has promised that work will commence by October end on setting up marketing facilities for vendors selling seasonal fruits and for vendors along the highway.
