Opposition demands division of vote as civic chief dismisses legal norms on meeting minutes
Uproarious scenes were witnessed at the Margao Municipal Council over the hike in trade licence fees.
Photo Credits: Santosh Mirajkar
MARGAO
Friday’s meeting of the Margao Municipal Council witnessed an uproar over the question of a hike in trade licence fees, with opposition Councillors insisting on a division of vote, even as Municipal Chairperson Damu Shirodkar rejected the demand outright.
Even as the opposition Goa Forward Councillors and Independent Councillor Ganashyam Shirodkar were on their feet to question the hike in trade licence fees at the time of confirmation of minutes, the Civic Chief pointed out that the Municipal Act does not have any provision for confirmation of minutes of meetings, even saying the minutes of meetings are being confirmed at the Margao Municipal Council as part of a norm.
Discussions on trade licence fees were set in motion by Goa Forward Councillor Francis Joanes, who asserted that the hike is not just 10–20 per cent as was announced by the Municipal Chairperson, but the hike is ranging between 100–500 per cent. There were heated exchanges when Councillor Ganashyam Shirodkar insisted that he did not second the resolution passed to effect the hike in the fees, demanding to know how his name figured in the minutes as the seconder.
As the MMC Chief sought to cap discussions on the issue, ruling out the possibility of any rollback in the fees, the opposition insisted on a division of votes. The Chairperson rejected the demand but later assured to record their objections to the proposed hike.
Meanwhile, Margao Congress Block Convener Savio Coutinho made a scathing attack on the BJP government and the BJP Council for the fraudulent route adopted to what he termed as extorting money from loyal taxpayers of Margao.
Reacting to the Council's confirmation of the illegal resolution of the licence fees hike, Coutinho questioned whether the government has brought about another "ordinance" by virtue of which confirmation of minutes of meetings is done away with. "We have to ask this question on account of the statement of the MMC Chairperson that there is no provision in law for the confirmation of minutes. If this practice is followed by other Municipalities and Panchayats across Goa, it will be a disastrous situation," Coutinho said.
