Gomantak Times
Despite the South Goa Planning and Development Authority's (SGPDA) order to revoke the contract, wholesale fish sellers in Margao expressed their displeasure at the sopo collector Milagres Fernandes with collection of fees on Thursday, January 6.
Several fish sellers led by President Moulana Ibrahim filed a complaint at Fatorda police station against Milagres, accusing him of extortion.
The SGPDA issued an order of revocation of the contract given to Milagres following the High Court's instructions to issue a tender for the SOPO within three months.
Wholesale fish vendors, on the other hand, claimed that the Sopo collector had illegally collected the charge from a number of fish sellers at the wholesale fish market.
Moulana Ibrahim, President of the Wholesale Fish Vendors Association alleged that Sopo collectors stop the fish-carrying vehicles and extort money.
He further said that, they have filed petition before the High Court against the SGPDA for contempt of court orders. SGPDA had revoked the permissions given to the sopo collector to stop collecting the fees, but sopo collectors on Thursday continue to collect the fee, which is totally illegal.
Ibrahim also alleged that, he illegally collects Rs 50,000 to Rs 60,000 from them every day and that the chairman of the authority, Babashan Deesa, was also involved in this illegal act.
The fishmongers demands that the retailers should be removed as the market was for wholesale.