MMC gets cracking on trade licences

Over a dozen establishments situated in the Osia Commercial Complex, including a mall and big time companies, were caught on the wrong foot after they could not produce trade license documents in support of their business activities.   

Without any delay, the Chief Officer along with the Accounts and Administration Officer Damodar Elekar and Dilip issued on-the-spot notices to the erring establishments to produce the original documents to the MMC along with the notarized photocopies or face action.   

“As many as 13 notices were issuedon the spot after the traders failed to produce their licenses. An insurance office and a firm escaped action from the MMC after they produced their documents,” a MMC official told The Goan.   

He said this is perhaps the first time in recent times that the Margao Municipal Council Chief Officer has personally visited the establishments to crack the whip against the erring businessmen.   

The action comes days after the Margao Municipal Council had issued a notice in the media requesting members of the public to comply with the payment of tax, including trade licenses.   

The Osia Commercial Complex, which houses several offices, hardly brings any revenue to the Margao Municipal Council as overwhelming majority of the business establishments have been doing business without the mandatory trade license. In fact, MMC officials in the know say that most of the business establishments operating in Osia are operating in rented premises without paying one month rent to the civic body or the mandatory trade license.   

MMC officials in private say that thousands of business establishments are operating in the commercial capital without the trade license, adding that majority of these belong to businessmen from outside the State.