Zunka Bhakar stalls may be used to sell fish

Damodar Tandel, vice chairman of the corporation recently met the minister for fisheries Anandrao Deokate, who assured that he would raise the matter in the meeting of the state cabinet.

The state government, through a notification on June 27, 2000, ordered closure of Zunka Bhakar stalls on the expiry of their lease agreements. The government also began taking back the handkerchief size plots alloted for the Zunka Bhakar stalls by the previous Shiv Sena-BJP alliance government. The stall operators apporoached the High Court challnging the government decision and the issue is pending with the judiciary. On the other hand, the government is contemplating to hand over most of these re-acquired stalls in major cities of the state to its undertaking, Mafco, for sale of its milk products.

Tandel said he had urged the government to implement a scheme for sale of fish in the major cities through chain of stalls on the lines of the distribution network formed for the sale of milk.

The corporation recently passed a resolution for making available fish like tiger prawns, pomphret and salmon to the public at reasonable rates through its own network, he disclosed. Accordingly, Tandel met Deokate and submitted the proposal for the Zunka Bhakar plots for sale of fish. The minister said the government will give preference to the corporation while alloting the stalls, Tandel said.

Meanwhile, the state government is waiting for the verdict of the High Court on the petition filed by the Zunka Bhakar stall operators challing the decision of closure. Sources in the Food and Civil Supplies Department said the government had stopped the renewal of the licenses which had expired eversince the cabinet has taken the decision.

The decision of the Democratic Front government on the closure of Zunka Bhakar stall and taking back their tiny plots had kicked up a row with the opposition Shiv Sena-BJP alliance accusing the government of political vindictiveness. The Shiv Sena had also threatened to take to the streets if the government failed to revoke the decision. However, both the sides are now waiting for the High Court’s judgement on the government decision. Filing a petition against the government order, the Zunka Bhakar stall operators had contended that they had borrowed loans for construction of the stalls considering that the government would renew their 11 month license after its expiry. Since they were unemployed, the DF government’s decision not to renew the contract would spell a disaster for them, they had told the High Court.

Tandel also informed that he had submitted a scheme to Deokate for installing five ice factories of 30 tonnes capacity on the Konkan coast by the corporation. The factories would be constucted with 50 per cent finance by the Centre under the Cold Storage Chain scheme. He urged the government to contribute matching grant of Rs 1.87 crore, through the rest of Maharashtra Statutory Development Board. Deokate agreed to call a joint meeting of the corporation and the board to discuss the issue, Tandel said.