Margao: Despite the new wholesale fish market in the commercial capital being ready for months, it has not been inaugurated, forcing vendors to sell fish in unhygienic conditions outside. With no proper waste disposal facilities, the place has turned filthy.The redeveloped market, built by the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) for the fisheries department, has been ready for over a year. Yet, vendors and fisherfolk continue to operate in the open.The South Goa Planning and Development Authority (SGPDA) had even appointed an external agency for the cleaning and maintenance of the market. It has, however, failed to explain the reasons behind several missed inauguration deadlines.Official data that has been accessed by TOI shows that a cold storage facility proposed for the SGPDA wholesale fish market, which was approved way back in Feb 2020, has still not been constructed, even after six years.The cold storage was to be constructed by the GSIDC and was expected to benefit vendors, fishermen and consumers by providing preservation infrastructure at the market. However, in a meeting held on Jan 9, the SGPDA decided only to hold a joint meeting with the fisheries department and the project consultant “for further decision” on the proposal. There has been no further progress since, sources said.The situation at the retail fish market is no better. SGPDA has acknowledged that the retail market needs renovation, repair and upgradation on grounds of hygiene, infrastructure and public safety, and has requested the PWD to inspect the facility and prepare an estimate.
