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VASCO
The Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) has resolved to offer Rs 1 lakh for the famous seven-day Vasco Saptah, which begins from August 16.
A special Saptah meeting was convened by the MMC on Tuesday to discuss various arrangements of the upcoming Saptah celebrations. The meeting was chaired by newly elected MMC Chairperson Bhavana Nanoskar, Chief Officer Agnelo Fernandes and all councillors were present at the meeting.
Councillor Krishna Salkar raised the point of offering a donation to the Damodar Bhajani Saptah committee which was planning to have a Mahaprasad for the first time at the upcoming Saptah.
Salkar said MMC had received a letter from the committee seeking financial assistance that was usually extended by MMC and added that the commitee had mentioned that the assistance had not been received for the past two years.
Salkar proposed that the amount offered by MMC to the Saptah committee annually be raised and all councillors present unanimously resolved to donate Rs 1 lakh to the committee from the municipal fund this year.
Councillor Saifullah Khan informed the council about complaints from devotees regarding lack of cleanliness leading to the route for the Samapti occasion, which is held on the next day of Saptah, when a coconut placed at the feet of Lord Damodar during the previous year is immersed in the sea.
He said the devotees had complained that the access at Kharewado was dirty and full of glass pieces. They requested MMC to clean
the area.
Newly elected Chairperson Bhavna Nanoskar said the meeting was convened to seek views of all councillors prior to Saptah, so that the council could get some more suggestions to celebrate Saptah in a befitting manner.
Former Chairperson Deepak Naik said their panel had extended full support to the council with regards to all issues for Saptah and did not hesitate to remind others about the contributions of his panel. “When we had formed the ruling council, the MMC was struggling with finances and did not have enough money to offer donations to the committee. The council is is now in a good financial position and could donate Rs 1 lakh as assistance to the Saptah committee,” said Naik.
MMC should auction lanes instead of allotting shops: Councillor
VASCO: Vasco Councillor Kritesh Gaonkar has suggested that the Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) should consider auctioning the entire lane next year, instead of allotting shops to prevent the shops from being being sublet and denying Goan traders their right to conduct business during the Saptah.
“Shops have been allotted to the same party over the years. The same vendor gets stalls every year at the same location. Sometimes, one person is allotted 5 stalls which he sublets it to another trader,” remarked Gaonkar.
“This means that a Goan trader who could have otherwise got the stall is denied the chance to do business. We must change this system so that interested Goan traders get the stalls, while an auction would also generate more revenue to the council.”
“We have one year time to study this scheme. Why should only a fixed set of people be allotted 4-5 stalls each every year,” asked Gaonkar.
Former MMC chairperson Deepak Naik, however, disagreed and claimed that a lot of traditional Goan businessmen are engaged in selling traditional sweets, and furniture at Vasco every year for distant places. “A sudden change would not be appropriate and auction of lanes is not a right approach. Saptah is not a profit-making business for the Council and it should not be commercialised,” said Naik.
