MARGAO
When the Margao Municipal Council had decided to permit the old market feast fair earlier this month, Chief Officer Agnelo Fernandes had directed the Municipal taxation officials to mop off at least Rs 20 lakh revenue from the mega fair.
With curtains coming down on the 12 day fair on Sunday, revenue collection from the fair seemed to have not even crossed the Rs 10 lakh figure. On the contrary, though exact figures of the revenue is not available, sources have pegged the revenue from the fair to around Rs seven lakh, only throwing up questions in the corridors of the Margao Municipal Council how the revenue has slipped to an all-time low when this is perhaps the first time in recent years that one had seen a large number of hawkers participating in the fair.
“Though I had issued directions to the taxation officials to mop up revenue to the tune of Rs 20 lakh from the fair, what the MMC finally received was less than Rs 10 lakh. I am not happy with the way the officials and staff went about the collection of fees from the hawkers”, he added.
The Shadow Council for Margao was quick to submit a representation to the MMC demanding a thorough inquiry into the old market feast fair stalls revenue collection, and recovery of all the receivable amounts.
In the representation, the SCM expressed strong resentment on account of the fair being allowed to run for 12 days, thereby subjecting the general public and more specifically the residents of Madel to grave hardships. The motorists were also put into severe inconvenience due to traffic congestion on account of parking on the highway, in close proximity of the old market circle/junction, stated SCM Convener Savio Coutinho.
He added: “We have also demanded that thorough assessment be made on the total number of stalls set up in the fair and the revenue receivable for all the 12 days. We have reliable information that the council is likely to suffer a loss to the tune of over Rs 15 lakh due to the concealment of actual revenue collection. While in the past the council earnings were over Rs 15-16 lakh per season for the period of not more than 7-days fair. This year in spite of the fair running for 12 days, the revenue collection is projected at Rs 7 lakh only", Coutinho lamented.
SCM made a strong demand that the revenue for the entire period of 12 days should reach the municipal treasury. "We consider it very unfortunate that at a time of severe financial crisis, wherein dues to the staff are not being paid on time, such loot and plunder is tolerated by the council," Coutinho said.
