the goan I network
MARGAO
Margao’s New Market traders see red in the Margao Municipal Council’s decision to levy the annual fee of Rs 48,000 on traders to use plastic bags, even though they are all willing to stop the sale and use of plastic bags below 50 microns size as per the rules in force.
President of Margao New Market Traders Association Vinod Shirodkar told The Goan after leading a delegation to MMC Chief Officer Johnson Fernandes that the traders have no objection to the ban on sale and use
of plastic bags below 50
micron size.
“What we are aggrieved is the fact that the Municipality wants the traders to pay a fee of Rs 48,000 per annum for use of plastic bags above 50 micron size. We have in our stock thousands of printed plastic carry bags which will take some time to dispose of. The civic body cannot penalise us to pay the annual fee if we want to use the printed plastic carry bags above 50 microns,” Vinod said.
Removing misconceptions in the minds of the Municipal officials and the public at large, Shirodkar pointed out that the traders are all willing to stop the sale and use of plastic carry bags below 50 micron. “But, here is a situation when the traders have already in their possession printed plastic bags above 50 micron size. The Municipality says that we have to pay an annual fee of Rs 48,000, around Rs 4,000 a month to the civic body if we decide to use the plastic bags above 50 microns,” he said.
Saying that the MMC’s decision is an injustice to the traders, Shirodkar said the Municipality cannot come just a fortnight ago and announce ban on use of plastic bags when the traders have already got printed plastic bags after paying a huge amount.
Since the delegation of the New Market traders and Chief Officer Johnson Fernandes could not agree on the payment of the annual fee, another round of meeting has been convened by the Chief Officer with the traders to iron out differences and to remove misconceptions.
The traders have also raised a pertinent point who will be held responsible for the goods that come in packaged with plastic bags, which are below 50 micron size.
The possibility of inviting other associations of traders and vendors for the meeting is not ruled out as the civic body wants to start the exercise
on a clean note bereft of any controversy.
