Margao: Goa Congress president Girish Chodankar on Thursday demanded immediate financial relief and adequate compensation for traders affected by the fire at Vasco market area late Wednesday night, along with a transparent inquiry into the incident.Chodankar said the fire had destroyed the hard-earned savings of many families and dashed their hopes for Diwali. He urged govt to conduct a time-bound assessment of losses, provide emergency financial assistance to every affected trader and announce adequate compensation.He also sought accountability from the authorities over fire safety arrangements, preventive measures and the emergency response.“Govt cannot limit itself to expressing sympathy. It must explain what went wrong, fix responsibility wherever lapses are established, and ensure that such a tragedy is not repeated,” Chodankar said.He demanded that chief minister Pramod Sawant personally intervene and announce an immediate relief package, ensuring that compensation reaches every affected trader without bureaucratic delays.Chodankar also called for the inquiry findings to be made public, action against anyone found negligent and a concrete rehabilitation plan for the affected traders.
