Grumbling that business was dull and people were not visiting the Mapusa municipal market, a section of the businessmen on Monday called for considerate measures to soften the burden on the shopkeepers.
Besides the demand to allow them a leeway to display their wares in the open “varenda”, the businessmen also appealed to the Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC) to erase the penalty imposed on shopkeepers for delay in paying taxes.
“There is a fear enforced in the minds of people that corona (virus) exists only in Mapusa market, so much so that people are not venturing in the market now. The situation has become so bad that some people are saying it’s better to die of corona than of hunger,” said Narayan Karekar, former president of All Goa Merchants’ Association.
At least 25 businessmen met Mapusa MLA Joshua D’Souza, MMC Chairperson Ryan Braganza, MMC Chief Officer Kabir Shirgaonkar and some councillors to discuss several issues facing the business community in the municipal market.
The former chief of All Goa Merchants’ Association demanded that those shopkeepers engaged in traditional business in the Mapusa market should be allowed to display their items in the open space in front of their shops.
“Without display of items, we are unable to make a sale. Our sale will increase and we will be able to earn something only if people come to the market. The civic body should take steps to alleviate our woes,” Karekar said.
The chief officer had recently directed the market inspectors to confiscate any items that were displayed on the footpaths/varendas in Mapusa market.
Karekar further said the civic body had enforced a penalty on traders who do not pay various licence fees on time.
“We have not enforced the lockdown. It was done by the government. So why are we being penalised? Why should we be held responsible? The penalty should be removed as early as possible,” he appealed.
The businessmen also complained against the council’s decision to convert certain areas in the market into pay parking. They said the pay parking contractor was harassing the consumers and fleeced them in the garb of parking fees.
Interestingly, several businessmen also demanded that vendors be allowed to sit in the market and Friday market should be started in full capacity.
Assenting to the demands of shopkeepers against the pay parking contractor, MMC Chairperson Ryan Braganza there were a lot of complaints against the contractor.
“Even councillors have complained to me. When such things happen, the council gets affected,” Braganza said.
