MARGAO
Margao Municipal Council chairperson Dr Babita Angle Prabhudesai has acted tough against organisers of exhibitions and sales in the city, with the newly elected chairperson zero in on exhibitions conducted at the Ravindra Bhavan, Margao.
The chairperson has also directed the Municipal administration to dash off letters to Ravindra Bhavan not to let its property for any exhibitions and sales unless the organisers obtain prior NOC from the civic body after paying the taxes and fees. Instructions have also been issued to the Municipal staff to write a letter to the Electricity department not to permit display of any advertisements on the electric poles without prior permission of the civic body and after paying the prescribed fees.
That the chairperson has decided to act tough became evident on Friday evening when she refused to grant permission for an exhibition at Ravindra Bhavan until and unless the organisers cleared the prescribed fees. Sources said that the chairperson kept open the Municipal office beyond office hours till 7 pm to facilitate the organiser to make the payments. It was only after the organiser paid the prescribed fees amounting to over rupees one lakh, then the civic body granted permission to hold the exhibition on Saturday.
Babita told The Goan that the Municipality will bring under its tax net the exhibitions and sales taking place in the city, including Ravindra Bhavan, without paying any fees to the civic body. “It was indeed surprising that while a number of exhibitions and sales were taking place at Ravindra Bhavan, they were never brought under the tax net," she said, adding that the Municipal body will henceforth crack a whip against exhibitions and sales taking place in the city without Municipal permission.
