Cite double taxation by sopo contractors
Agitated fishermen at the SGDPA office on Tuesday.
Photo Credits: Santosh Mirajkar
MARGAO
Agitated Goan fishermen, comprising of traditional fishermen and boat owners stormed into the office of South Goa Planning and Development Authority (SGPDA) on Tuesday to protest against what they termed as “extortion” of sopo fees in the PDA wholesale fish market and double taxations by the sopo contractors.
Not finding SGPDA Chairman, MLA Krishna Daji Salkar and the Member secretary in the office, the agitated fishermen, from Vasco, Cutbona and from the coastal belt later called on Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai seeking his intervention in the matter. ‘
After a meeting with Sardesai, wherein he called up the South Goa district Collector, Egna Cleetus seeking her intervention to resolve the issue plaguing the Goan fishermen, the fishermen returned back to the SGPDA meeting for a meeting with the PDA Member Secretary.
The fishermen comprising of former Minister Jose Philip D’Souza, Savio D’Silva, Olencio Simoes, Pele Fernandes, Antush Fernandes and others claimed that the sopo contractor is charging the Goan fishermen Rs 300 as sopo charges when the PDA has fixed the rate at Rs 150. That’s not all. They pointed out that they have to contend with double taxation as their vehicles are again charged sopo fees by the contractor appointed by the Margao Municipal Council when they come out of the wholesale fish market. “This has to stop. We have all come to the PDA office at 10 am and will not go back we meet either the Chairman, MLA Salkar or the Member Secretary”, Jose Philip D’Souza told media. It was only at around 1.30 pm that the SGPDA Member Secretary came to the office for a meeting with the agitated fishermen.
Savio D’Silva demanded an immediate stop to the hike in sopo fees at the wholesale fish market. “As per the PDA rates, local fishermen is mandated to pay Rs 150, but they have to now shell out Rs 300 by the contractor”, Savio added.
Fatroda MLA Vijai Sardesai spoke to the district Collector, Egna Cleetus with a request to intervene since two agencies, the SGPDA and the MMC are involved in sopo collection inside and outside the wholesale fish market. “This is nothing but double taxation. If the fishermen knock the doors of the High Court, the PDA will come in trouble for double taxation. I have told the Collector that the issue at hand should be treated as district administration issue and resolved. She had assured to call a meeting of the stakeholders on April 10”, he added.
What further agitated the fishermen at the SGPDA office was that they were not even allowed to sit in the conference room, but were made to stand in the corridor for a long time. “This is sheer arrogance”, cried Jose Philip as a PDA staff refused to allow the fishermen entry into the conference hall on the excuse it is undergoing renovation.
The fishermen also slammed the SGPDA for the non-functioning lift in the PDA building and the unhygienic and unsanitary state of the toilets in the buildling.
