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VASCO
In an apparent snub to the Directorate of Municipal Administration (DMA), the Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) on Wednesday morning resolved to waive off construction charges from all educational institutes in its jurisdiction.
At a special council meeting, the MMC also resolved to write to the government to handover prime land, earlier in possession of the Dev Damodar Trust, to the council on the occasion of the MMC centenary year, to enable the council utilise the space to accommodate all fruit and vegetable vendors under one roof and create a vending zone in Vasco.
According to MMC Chairperson Kritesh Gaonkar, the DMA had issued a circular to MMC to recover the construction fees from a higher secondary school had been waived off by the MMC on an earlier occasion. “We used to levy construction fees on all schools earlier, but a few months ago we had waived off construction fees from a higher secondary school.”
“We received a circular from DMA to recover the fees waived off from the school, but we have resolved that we will not collect the waived off charges and we will also waive off construction licence fees from all schools in this jurisdiction,” said Gaonkar.
MMC Councillor Murari Bandekar said the MMC had also received a request from an ITI institute to waive off construction fees.
“Educational institutions are doing a noble job of educating children and it is important that an educational institution gets some relaxation in charges in turn for taking up such a noble job. We have resolved to waive off construction fees from all education institutions,” said Bandekar.
Commenting on the demand to seek possession of prime land presently in possession of the government, Gaonkar said the land had been leased to an organization to build a hall.
“The land has been taken back and is in the custody of the government. The plot origin belonged to the MMC and was purchased by the government and we have decided to write to the government to hand over the land to us on the occasion of our centenary year, as we desperately require the area.
“We have been receiving circulars time and again to remove vendors from roadsides, but we have no alternative space to accommodate these vendors. We plan to get all the vegetables and fruit vendors in the plot and make it a vending zone in Vasco,”
said Gaonkar.
MMC to hike garbage collection fees
VASCO: Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) Chairperson Kritesh Gaonkar has said there would be a hike in fees for garbage collection at hotels and restaurants, while fees for mobile towers would also be hiked.
“Operators who have not renewed licenses for the mobile towers will be penalised. Minimal charges will also be levied on people applying for residential certificates,” Gaonkar added.
MMC seeks action over assault on garbage collection worker
VASCO: Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) Chairperson Kritesh Gaonkar has demanded police action against a person from Baina, who allegedly assaulted a door-to-door garbage collection worker for insisting on segregated garbage.
“This is the first case of a garbage collection worker getting assaulted and the MMC had requested the Vasco Police to register an offence against the accused and initiate a strong action against him,” said Gaonkar.
“We will not tolerate anyone attacking MMC staff or MMC contract workers and MMC will deal with such issues with an iron hand. We are very serious about garbage issue and we have already made it clear that unsegregated garbage will not be collected. People must help us in this initiative,” Gaonkar added.
