PANAJI:
The Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) Commissioner Clen Madeira will soon issue notices to traders operating in the civic body's market who have been found to be occupying multiple 'sopo' spaces and using them as 'godowns' to store their goods.
Several shops are also being used as godowns with no trading happening from them and their occupants will also be issued these notices, CCP sources said.
This comes a day after Revenue Minister Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate, who is also the Panaji MLA inspected the capital city's market on Tuesday along with the top brass of the CCP which he politically controls.
Monserrate was accompanied by Madeira, CCP market committee chairman, Bento Lorena, the municipal engineer and other officials.
Lorena said, during the inspection it was found that there were traders who occupied multiple sopo spaces and hoarded goods there.
"The sopo system typically is meant for traders to bring their goods and trade them during the day. At the end they have to pack up and leave with their remaining goods," Lorena said.
He said several of the shops in the market are also similarly being used as 'godowns' which is not acceptable. He said, the commissioner will work out the modalities, issue them notices and take whatever action has to be taken as per the CCP Act.
The Monserrate led team, however, did not inspect the section of the market where the CCP recently demolished an old building and the fish market shed, shifting the latter to a nearby clearing.
A dispute between the CCP and meat traders who occupied ground-floor shops in the demolished building also ensued but the Corporation is yet to provide them space as directed by the Supreme Court of India in a recent order.
