Fishermen stage protest on J.N. Street in Puducherry

The District Administration has ordered to relocate the wholesale fish market to the new facility on ECR

Continuing with their resistance to shifting the trading of fish from the traditional Goubert Market to the Modern Hygienic Fish Market on ECR, a large number of fishermen staged a protest on Jawaharlal Nehru Street to oppose the latest move by the District Administration to relocate the wholesale fish market to the new facility on ECR.

Ever since the government set up the Modern Hygienic Fish Market in 2018, attempts were being made to relocate wholesale fish from Goubert Market to ECR in a bid to decongest areas around J.N Street and M.G Road. The latest efforts come against the backdrop of a High Court order in July directing the District Administration to take appropriate steps regarding shifting of the market.

Accordingly, District Collector E. Vallavan, on September 27 issued an order under section 133 CrPC prohibiting auctioning and sale of fish around Goubert Market, M.G Road and other roads around the market from October 1. As per the order, the fishermen are allowed to do retail sale in Goubert Market only after 6 a.m.

The order also prohibits the sale of fish on the roadside and allows law enforcers to seize any material/vehicle involved in wholesale business of fish at Goubert.

Opposing the order issued by the Collector, fishermen at around 6 a.m. on Thursday resorted to a road blockade on J.N Street. Traffic along the entire J.N Street got disrupted due to the protest. They withdrew the protest by around 8 a.m. after senior officials assured to facilitate a meeting between representatives of the fishermen association and District Collector.

The Collector in his order had stated that the auction of fish by wholesale traders in the busy commercial areas in and around Goubert Market often led to traffic congestion and unhygienic waste disposal.

“Residents and commercial establishments in and around Goubert Market have been complaining of unhygienic conditions and foul smell. The roads and surrounding areas after auctioning of fish are inundated with slush and mud causing inconvenience to customers visiting the market and other commercial establishments around the area,” he said.