MARGAO
Questions, however, have been raised in the corridors of the Civic body and outside whether all the politicos have obtained prior permission from the Margao Municipality to display the banners and cut outs after paying the prescribed feels.
While market inspector, Anil Shirodkar that many a politico had indeed paid the fees before displaying the banners, the Shadow Council for Margao have accused a couple of politicians for putting up the banners sans MMC permission.
Questions have also been raised why the Civic body had not pulled down the illegal banners if they had been displayed without the mandatory NOC and payment of fees. When The Goan posed this question to Market Inspector, Anil Shirodkar, he said the Civic body will carry out survey of the banners in a day or two and initiate necessary action. “We have found that many had obtained permission from the civic body though there may be a few who have put up the banners in violation of rules,” Shirodkar said.
The Shadow for Council, however, has officially requested the MMC to recover fees from defaulters, for the display of banners without permission during Diwali festival. “As it is known to all that the Shadow Council has been raising the issue of nonpayment of advertisement fees since long. “It is indeed our pleasure to inform that due to the highlighting of the issue of display of banners for advertisement, the council which had collected a revenue of Rs 1,873 during the entire previous financial year, managed to earn an income of over Rs 30,000 during the last 10 months,” stated Savio Coutinho.
He said though the SCM had been highlighting the issue time and again, many of the public representatives/politicians have failed to obtain necessary permissions for display of advertisements by paying applicable fees.
He expressed his shock that the council has not acted to recover the dues from the defaulters, thereby showing laxity in recovering the dues.
