PANAJI
A racket in the sopo collection contract of the Panaji market where the vendors are not issued any paper-receipt of their daily payments is going on, a Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) councillor has alleged.
Uday Madkaikar, who has also been mayor of the city in the past, has shot a short video of his confrontation with the man who is collecting the daily rent from vendors in the Panaji market.
In the video, Madkaikar is heard asking the man why he is not issuing paper-receipts of the money he collects from the vendors daily but fails to get any explanation from the latter.
The CCP's administrative setup overlooking the Panaji market has come under the scanner several times in the past for scams, the most prominent of which is the 'market scam' which involves past mayors and councillors involved in a racket to allocate shops and spaces in the new market building.
Madkaikar, a past mayor is among several elected representatives indicted and under a cloud in multiple inquiries and investigations into this 'market scam' which has been playing out ever since the new market became operational in 2005.
Although multiple State governments have investigated the 'market scam' there has been no case registered or criminal action taken against those involved. The irregularities in the shop allocations at the new CCP market is costing the market dearly as none of the occupants have paid any rent since 2018 till date.
