Goa: Mormugao council razes illegal structures of wholesale outlets

The Mormugao Municipal Council ( MMC ) on Wednesday demolished illegal structures attached to fish wholesalers stalls at Kharewado and even sought the help of police to prevent illegal sale of fish in the evening, after the working hours of the MMC. 

Earlier on Wednesday morning, a huge group of all the Vasco market fish vendors marched to the MMC to meet the MMC Chairperson Leo Rodrigues and explain to him that while the MMC had closed down wholesale outlets, the sale of fish continued at Kharewado in the evenings on a daily basis .

Speaking to media Vasco traditional fisherman and leader Custodio D'Souza said that the MMC was quick enough to act on their complaints and close the wholesale outlets. 

"However we are sad that despite the wholesale outlets being closed at Kharewado, there are pandals and structures that continue to exist outside these stalls and the wholesalers sell fish after evenings when the MMC working hours are over.  We have met him now and he has also sent a team to demolish these pandals and we have requested him to use the police help to check on the sale of fish in the evenings to which he has agreed, " said D'Souza.

" We Vasco fish market vendors  are now housed in a temporary shed since the new Vasco fish market is under construction but the issue is that this shed has no security and the taps, basins and other pipes have been stolen by miscreants leaving the market without a proper washroom facility for the women. The market surface is very slippery and customers have fallen down besides there is no one who is cleaning the market which is in a very unhygienic conditions. We request the MMC to intervene and take steps to improve the condition in the market, " said DSouza.

MMC Chairperson Leo Rodrigues said that the fish vendors had come to MMC with a demand to stop wholesale fish sale in totality. 

"For the last three days , our Inspectors have been on the job and we have closed down all the fish wholesalers selling fish illegally. We have even demolished all the pandals and structures attached to the stalls and even asked the police to patrol the area in the evenings and take action on people selling fish at any location outside the market premises. 

"We will seal the shops selling fish outside the market if they don't agree to our directives. As far as the present market is concerned , we will keep a watchman and even carry out steps to clean the market and improve the flooring of the market to ensure that everything is smooth and the issues are taken care of, " said Rodrigues.