Fish market in Margao has become synonymous to stinking garbage dumps; the story has a long history from old market to the new market and then came the SGPDA market. Change in location of the market, change in municipal council or for that matter the change in governments has failed to give respite to the people of margao, somehow the market retains its identity in stinking air and garbage dumps. Authorities have failed to put the SGPDA Market and the Osia commercial complex which houses government offices in order. The Osia commercial complex in fact hasn’t been cleaned since its inauguration. Garbage, dirty toilets and the ‘paan’ spit red walls welcome you to the building. The SGPDA Market on the other hand has literally no discipline left.
The discussion begun after the Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardessai had a surprise visit of the SGPDA market and the Osia Commercial Complex earlier last week. The TCP Minister was shocked to see the condition of the Fruits and Vegetables side of the Market. He has resolved to take up the issues and also the defaulters with strict hand. It was noticed that encroachment, nonpayment of dues to SGPDA was common and has become serious over time. The team also inspected the Osia commercial complex. Flowing sewage, never cleaned or maintained passages and only filth all over the 6 floors of the building has forced the Minister to warn the Developer of the building.
The TCP Minister was assisted by the Chairperson of MMC Babita Angle, Member Secretary of SGPDA Ashok Kumar and others. Inspection of the vegetable and Fruits market of the SGPDA revealed that the vendors who have bought the spaces here have defaulted of over Rs. 3 crore in payments for the spaces allotted at the market.
As far as the Osia building is concerned the building can be called a bouquet of garbage. The first floor which has private commercial establishments is kept well. The Road Transport Office is one of the 6 offices housed at the Osia Building and is on the 3rd floor. It is visited by thousands of people daily. Sadly there is no dustbin near any of the offices and the garbage like papers, water bottles and others makes it way to the corners and windows of the building.
Several agents at the Road Transport Office lay news papers and plastics on the stairs and dump the papers and waste at the same place after their work is done. This floor hasn’t ever been cleaned.
On the third floor is the SGPDA office. The employees of SGPDA enter and exit the office stamping the garbage and filth. A cat had died and was lying here since a couple of days. But the office hasn’t bothered to get it cleared. The condition of the toilets is dilapidated.
When asked the Member Secretary of SGPDA Ashok Kumar he said “I have taken charge just two days back, but I will look into the matter as soon as possible” after he was enlightened about the bad condition.
Fredrick Fernandes is a daily visitor to the offices in the Osia Complex and has informed that the condition is worse. “The condition is known to all the Government officials as well as the local representatives. Not just the garbage but sewage and now in the rains leaking ceilings are going to wreak havoc here” he said.
The TCP Minister Vijai said “There have been people and especially Goenkaar coming to the SGPDA as well as the Osia Government offices but both the premises are not worth visiting. It is getting worse than the new market. I have assured them that stern action will be taken against all the violations, just the vegetable and fruit vendors at the SGPDA market owe Rs. 3 crores 80 lakhs to the SGPDA. The method to appoint an agency and to put discipline and keep the market up to date is being devise.”
“The Osia Complex is in a deplorable condition and we wonder why it should be in such a condition even after having 5 to 6 Government offices? Why do these offices need to remain here even after having a palatial collectorate complex?” asked Vijai. Vijai said that they will be forming a task force to make optimum use of the Collectorate office and shift these offices to that building.
The Authorities recently in police protection warned the fruit and vegetable vendors to move their business on to their platform and to stop the encroachment of the pathways. They also got the illegal businesses like the CD shops, and the offices set up in the market removed. The SGPDA officials are now expected to continue their effort and get rid of the problems of the market as soon as possible as the fear of people abandoning the market is large.
Team TNV
