Thursday 28 Mar 2024

Blaze at Margao market leads to anxious moments Traders ire as repeated pleas for dedicated water supply ignored by authorities

Absence of an overhead water tank and defunct fire hydrants in the commercial capital's new market came to the fore, as a minor fire broke out in the congested municipal market early Wednesday morning.

| JULY 27, 2017, 03:59 AM IST

the goan I network
MARGAO

While alert traders managed to quickly extinguish the fire caused due to a suspected short circuit, they later cried foul over the utter failure of the municipal and district authorities to address the decade old issue of constructing an overhead water tank in the market area for dedicated water supply to meet fire emergencies.
The fire occurred when an overhead plastic water channelizer caught fire which is suspected due to a short circuit. Fortunately, the fire was put out before it could spread to the rest of the market before the arrival of the fire personnel.
"We thank God that the minor fire was put out immediately by alert traders. But, our longstanding concerns over lack of adequate fire fighting infrastructure in the market areas remains unaddressed till date," lamented the president of Margao New Market Traders Association, Vinod Shirodkar.
He also pointed out that it's over a decade now since the traders have been urging the Margao municipality to build the overhand water tank to ensure that there's a dedicated water supply to the defunct fire hydrants.
"Water flows only in trickles into the fire hydrants that have been installed around the new market. The dedicated overhead water tank proposed in the market area has not seen light of day," he said.
Shirodkar further demanded that the government should intervene and station a fire tender and ambulance around the market place to meet any emergency. President of the Gandhi market readymade garments and vegetable vendors association, Rajendra Azgaonkar told The Goan that agencies such as the power officials did not respond to calls when the fire was spotted in the market.
"The government should initiate action against erring officials who do not respond to phone calls," he said.
"We were fortunate that the fire did not spread to the entire market. The traders feel that an ambulance and fire tender should be stationed in the market area to meet any exigency," he demanded.
The issue over the defunct fire hydrants installed in the new market area of the city has been hanging fire for over a decade now. Neither the fire hydrants are connected to the dedicated water line coming from Selaulim to maintain water pressure at all times, nor has the municipality and PWD built a dedicated overhead tank to serve the purpose till date, despite several fire incidents reported in the mega market complex.

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