MARGAO
Members of boat owners Association from Vasco, Panaji and Cutbona descended at the wholesale fish market on Wednesday morning to protest over the alleged assault on a boat owner by the Margao Municipal Council-appointed sopo collector outside the market.
Led by Jose Philip D’Souza, the boat owners later called on the Fatorda Police station in-charge, PI Kapil Nayak to find out the progress of the complaint lodged by the boat owner. They later had a meeting with the Margao Municipal Chief Officer, Agnelo Fernandes to ascertain whether the MMC has authorised the sopo contractor to levy pay parking charges on the wholesale fish market road.
What infuriated the boat owners was the fact that while they pay the sopo fees to the SGPDA-appointed contractor for bringing the fish for sale in the wholesale fish market, they wonder how come the other sopo contractor can levy parking charges along the wholesale fish market.
Boat owner Stanley Fernandes told the media that he had come to the market to sell his fish. “After I paid Rs 200 as sopo fees to the PDA-appointed contractor, I went out to park my vehicle along side the PWD road. A worker employed by the MMC-appointed sopo contractor demanded that I pay Rs 50 as parking fees. I was assaulted when I protested over the demand since the wholesale market road is not notified for pay parking and that the MMC has not authorised anyone to levy the charges,” he said.
Jose Philip D’Souza said demanding parking fees on the PWD road is nothing, but extortion. He demanded action by the Fatorda police and the Margao Municipality against the contractor.
Fatorda PI Kapil Nayak told the delegation that the police has already registered a non-cognizable offence against the two persons involved in the assault, adding that the police would send Chapter cases against the duo to the Deputy Collector. He, however, said that the issue regarding levy of parking fees on vehicles parked on the road is to be decided by the civic body.
When the delegation called on MMC Chief Officer Agnelo Fernandes to discuss the issue, the CO was categorical in saying no parking fees can be levied on vehicles outside the market by the sopo contractor.
