MARGAO
Traditional fishermen from Salcete on Friday called on the Chairman of the South Goa Planning and Development Authority Vasco MLA Krishna Daji Salkar, to protest against the timings set by the planning body for the sale of fish in the wholesale fish market.
The fishermen, led by Pele, drew the SGPDA Chairman’s attention to the fact that unlike the fish traders from outside the State, there are no fixed timings for traditional fishermen, pointing out that they come to the wholesale fish market to sell fish depending on their catch.
Pele explained to the PDA Chairman and Member Secretary, Sheikh Ali, that PDA officials had told the traditional fishermen to stop the sale of fish in the wholesale fish market by 9 am. He questioned how the fishermen could sell their fish if the wholesale fish market is shut at 9 am. “We are traditional fishermen. We bring fish to the market depending on the catch in the sea. There cannot be fixed timings for the traditional fishermen. We are not fish traders who bring fish from outside the state and sell it in the wholesale fish market during a prescribed period,” Pele said.
He further questioned: “If the wholesale fish market is shut for business after 9 am, where are the traditional fishermen supposed to sell their catch? By closing down the market at 9 am, we are being deprived of our right to sell our catch after a hard day’s labour.”
After giving a patient hearing, the PDA Chairman said the PDA had put restrictions on the sale of fish in the wholesale fish market, considering the fact that the market issue is pending before the courts.
