Vasco, October 30: The devastating fire that engulfed Vasco’s New Modern Municipal Market on the night of October 28, destroying around 140 shops and Diwali stocks worth several crores, has exposed serious shortcomings in disaster preparedness, fire-safety infrastructure and administrative accountability, former Salvador do Mundo Sarpanch Sanjeev Naik has stated.

Expressing concern over the plight of hundreds of families whose livelihoods have been severely affected, Naik said that although no lives were lost, the economic devastation has left traders facing an uncertain future.

He demanded immediate financial assistance, transparent assessment of losses, temporary business arrangements and a comprehensive inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the fire.

Questions Over Cause of Fire and Safety Failures

Referring to the FIR registered against unknown persons under Sections 326(f), 326(g) and 125 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Naik said the investigation must establish whether the fire was accidental, the result of negligence or a deliberate act.

He also raised serious concerns over the reported failure of fire hydrants installed at the market years ago. Despite repeated complaints about their non-functional condition, adequate corrective measures were allegedly not undertaken.

According to reports, fire tenders were forced to make repeated trips to replenish water supplies while emergency resources were stretched by multiple fire incidents reported in Vasco that night.

“If critical fire-safety infrastructure had remained non-functional for years, who was responsible for ensuring its maintenance? Why were these deficiencies ignored until a major disaster occurred?” Naik questioned.

Compensation Must Reach Genuine Traders

While acknowledging the government’s assurance of financial assistance and the appointment of a scrutiny committee headed by the Mormugao Deputy Collector, Naik expressed concern over the practical difficulties likely to arise during verification of compensation claims.

With approximately 105 claims reportedly received, he said the government must establish clear and fair criteria to identify genuine beneficiaries.

He pointed out that several shops were reportedly being operated by traders other than the original allottees. In such cases, purchase bills, delivery challans and stock records may not necessarily be in the names of those actually running the businesses.

Naik questioned how the authorities would distinguish genuine operators, assess their actual financial losses and prevent deserving traders from being denied compensation merely because of documentation discrepancies.

He also sought clarification on whether individual shops and the municipal market complex were insured.

Highlighting the heavy festive inventory stored in relatively small shops, Naik said the assessment process must account for actual business conditions rather than relying solely on the physical size of commercial premises.

“Compensation should reflect genuine livelihood losses. Traders who have lost everything must not be subjected to endless paperwork and administrative delays,” he said.

Chief Minister’s Disaster Management Responsibility Questioned

Naik also questioned the government’s preparedness, pointing out that Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant chairs the Goa State Disaster Management Authority while simultaneously holding the Home, Finance and other important portfolios.

He argued that concentrating several critical administrative responsibilities in one office could affect focused supervision, disaster preparedness and timely intervention.

According to Naik, disaster management requires dedicated oversight, regular safety audits, functioning emergency infrastructure and clearly defined accountability at every administrative level.

“The government cannot limit its responsibility to announcing compensation after a disaster. Preventing such tragedies through proper planning, inspections and enforcement is equally important,” he stated.

He demanded that responsibility for the reported failure of fire hydrants and other safety arrangements be established through an impartial investigation.

Demand for State Disaster Status and Rehabilitation

Supporting demands from affected traders and opposition leaders to declare the incident a state disaster, Naik said such a decision should be considered to facilitate comprehensive relief and rehabilitation.

He urged the government to provide immediate temporary commercial spaces so that affected traders could restart their businesses without waiting for lengthy reconstruction or compensation procedures.

He also demanded a time-bound compensation mechanism, a transparent inquiry into the cause of the fire, an investigation into neglected safety infrastructure and comprehensive fire-safety inspections of municipal markets across Goa.

Naik stressed that the Vasco tragedy should serve as a warning to authorities responsible for maintaining public commercial infrastructure.

“The affected families need more than sympathy and assurances. They need financial support, an opportunity to rebuild their livelihoods and confidence that those responsible for administrative failures will be held accountable,” he said.

Naik concluded that effective governance depends on clearly defined responsibilities, administrative accountability and preventive action rather than the concentration of critical functions in a single authority.

“The traders of Vasco deserve justice, not delays and paperwork that push them further into debt. The government must act swiftly to restore their livelihoods and ensure that such a disaster is never repeated,” he asserted.

— Sanjeev Naik
Former Sarpanch, Salvador do Mundo Panchayat