MARGAO: Claiming that the South Goa Planning and Development Authorities (SGPDA) is illegally granting permissions to hold exhibitions at areas earmarked for parking which will affect their business, the Margao new market traders along with advocate Rajeev Gomes on Monday gheraoed the SGPDA member secretary demanding immediate action to stop this practice.
The angry vendors later met the Margao Municipal Council chairperson Babita Prabhudesai and chief officer (acting) Deepali Naik asking them how such illegal exhibitions are being permitted. They claimed that such illegal exhibitions are eating into their business and warned that they would take to the streets if the exhibitions are not stopped by the civic body.
“We wanted to know from the MMC as to how such exhibitions are permitted on parking areas. Is there any gain from this? questioned Advocate Gomes on behalf of the vendors. The member secretary Ashok Kumar heard them patiently.
Meanwhile Kumar said, “I will put this issue before the meeting which is scheduled today. I agree that exhibitions cannot be permitted in the parking lot of SGPDA market”.
The vendors later went to the MMC and met the chairperson and the chief officer and questioned them over illegal permission of hosting exhibitions on parking lots.
The president of Margao new market traders association Vinodh Shirodkar said, “We submitted a memorandum to the chief officer and the chairperson demanding that permissions should be granted for exhibitions, shopping events or for any commercial activities at the Margao SGPDA ground. Such permissions are in total violation of law and municipal rules. If our demand is ignored, we will be compelled to take to the streets”.
However when contacted the SGPDA chairman Mauvin Godinho denied putting any pressure on the SGPDA member secretary. “The question of pressure does not arise and we have asked for a meeting in order to resolve the issue amicably. We have not snatched the present parking areas to permit any exhibitions. There is a lot of space kept for parking” said Godinho. He further appealed to the traders and Advocate Gomes to resolve the issue amicably and find a solution to the imbroglio.
Margao MLA and the PDA member Digambar Kamat said that the SGPDA chairman and the traders are working to find a solution which is accepted to both parties.