Herald Correspondent
Porvorim, July 24
[MMC in the course of years has allowed new shops, hawkers, stalls and fruit
vendors to occupy all these lanes in the market, which has caused congestion
and chaos in the market.]
The Mapusa Nagrikancho Ekvott has filed a contempt petition in the High
Court against the Administrators of Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC) for not
implementing the directions of the High Court.
The Mapusa Nagrikancho Ekvott members in their petition have stated that
many footpaths within MMC market have been allowed to be blocked by
shopkeepers, who place their wares or other items on the pavements, thus
frustrating the orders of the High Court that pavements should be clear of
all obstructions.
"MMC has not taken measures like cancelling licenses of those shopkeepers
who consistently violate directions as stated in the High Court order dated
October 18, 2000, thus giving clear message not only to the violators but
also everyone in the market that it is permissible to continue breaking the
law with impunity," stated the petitioners.
The members further stated that in front of Alankar Cinema theatre, where
traffic island used to exist, shops have been allowed to come up which
entirely block the streets from 4 pm upto 1 am.
"Some shop owners have become so brazen that they have set up tables and
chairs on the street," claimed the members.
"Even entrances of the MMC market have not been spared, as some vendors like
lottery vendors, tailors, etc have been allowed to set-up tables and chairs
within the corridors of the entrances and to carry out their activities,"
states the petition.
"Though the notification of MMC stipulates that vehicles may not enter the
market on two sides between 10 am to 12.30 pm and from 4 pm to 6 pm and on
Fridays from 6 am to 6 pm, the vehicles enter the market at all hours."
"Within MMC market, there are lanes between various small buildings. These
lanes were provided by the original planners so that public would have easy
access by way of pavements bordering the shops and to go from building to
building."
"MMC in the course of years has allowed new shops, hawkers, stalls and fruit
vendors to occupy all these lanes in the market, which has caused congestion
and chaos in the market," added the members in the petition.
"Further, these lanes are also allowed to be occupied by cars, motorcycles
and cycles, which move in an out of the market with impunity at all hours
thus causing the public enormous hardships."
"Despite orders of the High Court that road setbacks should not be occupied,
many shop/kiosks still continue to operate within the road widening areas."
The petitioners have stated that MMC has violated the spirit behind the
orders passed by the High Court, which were ultimately for the benefit of
people and hence actions of the MMC amount to contempt of Court.
"MMC, by its uncaring attitude, seems to consider that they can flout the
orders passed by the High Court with impunity and it is therefore submitted
that they deserve to be severely penalized." prayed the petitioners.
COMMENTS
If the citizens do not know or are not aware of their rights, then they
should not complain if they are kicked and abused.
This is the case of MMC where every councilor is doing what s/he wants and
the money thus collected goes into their own private pockets. Why should
they work for the benefit of the people who are just donkeys who need to
come to the market anyway, to service themselves? It will be surprising to
know that each square meter of the pavement/street space given to the
hawkers permanently, fetches Rs 1 lac. And this money does not go to the
municipality. Behold the blooming businesses run by the councilors of the
MMC. And why should they not prosper? Whether people can move within the
market or not, it would not be their problem. Besides the sopo collector is
making a windfall by collecting sopa and not giving the receipts. Ask any
hawker to show his sopo receipt for the day and he will tell you that he has
paid the sopo but he will get the receipt later in the evening.
Mapusa Municipal Market has become free for all. Look at the way the
fish-market is functioning. It should get the universal gold medal.
All said and done, the elite Mapxemkars shop in this filthy and congested
market for their daily needs, whether it is meat, chicken, fish or other dry
items including the vegetables and fruits. Considering the international
standards of hygiene, all the stuff in the MMC is unfit for human
consumption and should be destroyed by burning. However, this same stuff
finds its way to the elegant dinner tables in the city where the citizens
boast of a high standard of living. However, this standard of living is the
same standard or no standard that the food items have been purchased from.
If only the elite Mapxemkars ponder on this aspect, things will fall in the
right perspective.
The only savior of the common dumb, blind and deaf man who is shopping in
the Mapusa Municipal Market is the High Court and it is high time that this
world famous Friday market be set free from the worms who feed on it.
Cheers
floriano
goasuraj
9890470896
www.goasu-raj.org for expanded scroll-up party presentation on the home
pape.
cheers
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