MARGAO
Is the Margao Municipal New Market slowly going into the hands of businessmen from outside the State, including the Marwaris when the Municipal shops cannot be sold or transferred to outsiders?
This question took the centrestage at the market committee meeting of the Margao Municipal Council on Thursday when members of the panel expressed their concern that the New Market is slowly going into the hands of businessmen from outside the State.
That’s not all. Questions are raised in the corridors of the civic body that while the Municipality receives meagre rent from the original lease holder, the latter has transferred the shops by charging the outsiders, thousands, if not lakhs of rupees.
The question raised by the Market committee panel, including councillor Mahesh Amonkar is simple “ how can outsiders run the shops in the Municipal New Market when rules bar transfer of shops as per the original lease deeds.
The Municipal officials, including Chief Officer Agnelo Fernandes is believed to have contended that there’s nothing on record to suggest or prove that the Municipal shops have been transferred to the outside businessman by the lease holder.
Out to prove a point or two, councillor Mahesh Amonkar demanded to know from the Municipal officials whether the civic body would revoke the lease deed and get the shop back with the civic body.
The Chief Officer is believed to have replied in the positive, saying the civic body would certainly initiate action as per the law if any transfer of shop has taken place in violation of the rules in force.
Mahesh told the media after the meeting that the MMC should not remain a silent spectator to the illegal transfer and sale of Municipal rented shops to outside businessmen. “If this trend continues, a day will come when outsiders will take over the mega market which has been the identity of Madgaon and Madgaonkars over the decades,” he warned.
While the civic officials maintained that it is difficult to detect cases of illegal transfer of shops when the original lease holder defends the presence of the outside businessmen in their premises, citing them as their employees, Mahesh, however, suggested that the civic body could resort to measures.
, including obtaining all details under the law, including registration of the employees under the Shops and Business establishment Act, etc.
