Can the authorities find a solution to the decades old fish vending tangle plaguing Goa’s lone wholesale fish market and its surroundings since the time the wholesale fish market was shifted on the SGPDA-acquired land around 23 years ago? Indeed, the fish vending tangle has come back to haunt the authorities again as officials of various agencies descended on the ground to find a solution with the messy wholesale fish market now under the lens of the High Court.
While the SGPDA and the Margao Municipal Council have decided to put in place waste disposal, including thermocol waste disposal mechanism, a million dollar question has come to stare at the authorities – will they finally find a solution to the fish vending tangle this time round. The issue looks simple on the surface with the Margao Municipal Council, besides other authorities, promising to end retail fish vending outside the wholesale fish market over the years, but in vain.
Reason: Not all those selling fish outside the wholesale fish market may be retail vendors, but some of them may comprise of traditional fishermen, including ramponkars, boatkars, cantarikars, magkars et al. And, these traditional fishermen have been raising one question for the authorities to answer – if there is no place for the traditional fishermen to sell their catch, for whom is the wholesale fish market meant for?
Wholesale fish market timings: At the core of the issue is the timings specified by the SGPDA for business activities at the wholesale fish market. While the SGPDA moves in to shut the market after 9 or 10 am by closing the market gates, traditional fishermen finds themselves at sea with the market closed. Left with no option, the fishermen unload their catch on the platform outside the wholesale fish market for sale to the prospective buyers. When officials of the Margao Municipal Council. SGPDA, Fatorda police and the Traffic police inspected the wholesale fish market and questioned the retail sale of fish outside the market, they were inundated with replies that the fish vendors are not retail vendors, but traditional fishermen who have brought their catch for sale in the wholesale fish market.
Says Goyche Ramponkarancho Evkott President, Agnelo Rodrigues: “How can the SGPDA or the Margao Municipality stop the traditional fishermen from selling their catch brought for sale in the wholesale fish market. The wholesale fish market is primarily meant for the traditional fishermen. Our men folk go out in the sea to catch fish, while our women folk go to the wholesale fish market to sell the fish.
Agnelo pointed out that unlike the fish traders, bringing fish from across the borders, the traditional fishermen have no fixed timings of business. “Our occupation is dependent on the weather and the catch. If there is no catch, we do not come to the market. Sometimes, we get a catch in the afternoon or in the evening. How are the traditional fishermen expected to dispose of the catch if the fish market is shut after 10 am’, he questioned.
Who are wholesale fish vendors? Traditional fishermen say there is a misconception that vendors selling fish with 2-3 baskets are considered as retail vendors. Traditional fishermen says one cannot call a trader or a vendor wholesale fish vendor just because he comes with insulated vehicles carrying dozens of boxes laden with fish.
“Traditional fishermen coming with little catch are also wholesalers since they bring their catch from the sea for sale. One cannot classify a vendor based on the quantum of fish they bring fish in the market. “One day, the fishermen may net just a couple of baskets full of fish. They prefer to come to the wholesale fish market at Margao to get a good rate. They cannot be termed as retail fish vendors just because they come with a fish catch of few baskets”, the fishermen mainained.
Retail fish vendors: The fish vending issue outside the wholesale fish market is further complicated with Niz Goemkars selling retail fish under the guise of wholesale fish vending. Claiming they eke a living on the sale of fish at the wholesale fish market, these vendors point out that former Chief Minister late Manohar Parrikar had allowed them to do business at the wholesale fish market and that their names are all registered with the SGPDA.
Retail business inside the wholesale fish market: If the authorities question the retail fish business outside the wholesale fish market, those in the know say there’s rampant retail fish business carried out inside the wholesale fish market with impunity. Sources say when the wholesale fish traders are mandated to sell their fish in wholesale, many an unscrupulous trader resorts to retail sale either directly or through agents. It’s not uncommon to find weighing scales dotting around the wholesale fish market, but these scales are used to sell fish in one or two kilogram is an open secret. For, wholesale fish traders selling fish in one or two kilograms inside the market is an open secret, reducing the wholesale fish market into a retail business.
Hordes of illegal migrants into retail fish sale business inside the wholesale fish market: None other than the president of Margao wholesale fish market traders Association M Ibrahim claimed that around 500 migrants, coming in vehicles, are involved in retail fish sale inside the wholesale fish market. Ibrahim made the claim at the meeting of the stakeholders called by the Margao Municipal Council on Wednesday as per the High Court directions.
Ibrahim may be charged for exaggeration, but the fact remains that hordes of migrants are doing business inside the wholesale fish market right under the nose of the SGPDA authorities. These illegal vendors do business on the right hand side of the entrance to the market, adjoining the market building under construction. This ground reality, sources feared, may trigger social tensions in the event the SGPDA and MMC drive out the Goan fish vendors doing business outside the wholesale fish market and allow the migrants to have a field day inside the market.