MARGAO
The inordinate delay in tendering the wholesale fish market sopo collection triggered an uproar at the SGPDA meeting on Tuesday, bringing the PDA Chairman, MLA Wilfred D’Sa and the opposition MLAs at war of words.
While Vijai Sardesai and Digambar Kamat questioned the huge delay in tendering the wholesale fish market sopo, resulting in the drain in revenue, the SGPDA chairman hit back at the Fatorda MLA, demanding to know what had prevented him from tendering the wholesale fish market sopo during his rule over a decade.
The issue was believed to have come to the fore at the SGDPA meeting when Sardesai questioned the Authority for not recording his say on the sopo tender in the meeting minutes. He pointed out that the omission in recording his points in the minutes has given an impression that he did not say anything on the sopo tender.
After the meeting, Sardesai launched an attack on the PDA for the huge delay in tendering the wholesale fish market sopo tender, saying what was started as a temporary arrangement is being continued by the Authority without inviting any tenders. “By not floating the tender, the PDA is losing huge revenue by way of sopo collection. Let any contractor take the sopo tender, but the PDA should benefit with the highest bid,” he said, while demanding to know how much the PDA will take to obtain legal advice on floating the tender.
Margao MLA Digambar Kamat echoed similar sentiments, by saying that floating tender will benefit the PDA as the Authority will get increased revenue if the sopo collection is tendered.
When the media contacted the SGPDA chairman, he said the PDA is seeking legal advice how to go about the tender since the incumbent contractor has gone to the court. When the media drew his attention that he had promised to obtain the legal advice at the last meeting, he said the PDA officials are on the job to get the legal advice, saying that the PDA lawyers are waiting for the opinion.
D’Sa, however, said even though the PDA has not yet tendered the wholesale fish market sopo, the PDA is presently earning monthly revenue of around Rs 9 lakh. He asserted that the sopo contractor appointed during Sardesai’s tenure was paying hardly Rs 1.50 lakh per month for the last several years, adding that the revenue used to fall during the monsoon season.
“I would like to ask Sardesai why was the sopo rate not increased when he was in the PDA over the last 10 years. He should answer this question as the contract was awarded to his close aide. That was the reason why no attempt was made to hike the wholesale fish market sopo rates levied on fish vehicles,” he added.
