Traders Demand rollback of ‘illegal’ fee & refund of past payments
MAPUSA
The Mapusa Merchants’ Association (MMA) has thrown down the gauntlet, announcing a complete voluntary shutdown of Mapusa on Monday, June 23, in protest against the controversial and “irrational” sanitation fee imposed by the Mapusa Municipal Council.
Furious over what they called a failed dialogue with local MLA Joshua D’Souza and officials from the Directorate of Municipal Administration (DMA), the MMA declared they will bring the commercial capital of Bardez to a standstill.
“We will shut Mapusa on June 23. The traders are united and we will not back down until our demands are addressed. We have been let down and the civic body continues to harass us with illegal and retrospective fee collections,” thundered MMA President Jeetendra Falari at a press briefing.
Falari said the much-publicised meeting held by the MLA with traders and DMA officials was an eyewash.
“There were no concrete assurances, no resolution of our issues – just hollow talk. The government is buying time while the traders are being bled dry,” he added.
The MMA has called upon all business owners, market traders, professionals and even service providers to join the peaceful but firm protest.
“We will march to the Mapusa Municipal Council. We will confront the Chairperson and councillors face-to-face and demand justice,” Falari declared.
Former MMA President Ashish Shirodkar came down heavily on the civic body and council members.
“Let’s be clear: the council is at fault here. It has failed to adopt the sanitation fee legally through a council resolution. Yet, they are brazenly harassing traders. All 20 councillors must be held accountable and must immediately call a special meeting to rectify this illegality,” he asserted.
Calling the sanitation fee “arbitrary and unjustified,” the traders have listed four non-negotiable demands:
Revision of sanitation fee: Traders allege the current charges are baseless and demand a fair reassessment.
No retrospective collection: They categorically oppose the backdated recovery of fees for the past five years.
Refund of payments already made: Those who paid under pressure must be reimbursed immediately.
Extension of trade licence renewal deadline: Traders want the May 31 deadline pushed further and late penalties waived.
“There have been attempts to divide us, but the trading community is speaking in one voice. We are united, we are firm, and on June 23, we will show what people’s power looks like,” said Falari.
The MMA has clarified that essential services will remain unaffected.
However, the message is clear: come Monday, Mapusa will be shut unless the authorities act now.
Mapusa MLA alleges political agenda behind shutdown call
