MARGAO
The Margao Municipal Council has decided to renew the trade licence of hotels and restaurants, besides eateries only after the sanitary inspectors inspect the hygienic condition of the premises and disposal of sewage and waste from the sanitation point of view.
A memorandum issued by Chief Officer Agnelo Fernandes has directed the administration to hand over all the trade licence files pertaining to hotels, restaurants, sweetmart shops, cold storages, hair-cutting saloons and beauty parlours and wherever usage of the water is the primary requirement of the trade shall be referred to the sanitary inspectors. The memorandum mandates the sanitary inspectors to obtain a report regarding the sanitation and hygiene condition and whether sewerage connection has been secured by the trade seekers.
In the same memorandum, the Chief Officer has directed the market inspectors to deal with income certificates and other inspections, besides matters related to municipal inspectors such as encroachments, plastic raids, mask raids, etc and other duties entrusted to them from time to time.
The Municipal Employees Association has raised eyebrows over the memorandum, demanding to know how the Chief Officer has suddenly entrusted the task of inspecting the premises apply for trade licence to the sanitary inspectors.
Association general secretary Anil Shirodkar said that the Chief Officer has not done the right thing, adding that the association will petition to the Chief Officer to protest over the directives.
Chief Officer, Agnelo, however, said there’s nothing objectionable in the order. He said the sanitary inspectors will only inspect the hotels and restaurants, besides business premises whether there’s usage of water.
In fact, sources say there’s been a long standing battle between the MMC sanitation section and the market inspector’s section to exercise control over the inspections of business premises for the purpose of issuing trade licences.
