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MARGAO
The Opposition Congress and BJP-backed councillors on Tuesday made a strong demand before the newly-appointed Chief Officer Ajit Panchwadkar to place all facts before the public on the feast fair organised by the civic body at the Old market.
The 12-opposition councillors even went to the extent of telling the Chief Officer that they are all ready to accompany the Municipal inspection team to the old market where the feast fair is being held on the MMC acquired land for vehicular parking.
After calling on the Chief Officer, Congress councillor Doris Texeira told the media that the opposition councillors have demanded from the Chief Officer that the civic body place all details concerning the feast fair, including the number of stalls put up at the venue, the revenue that would be generated for the civic body and other issues.
She pointed out that when the delegation drew attention of the Chief Officer to the giant wheel installed at the fair, the Chief Officer has replied back saying the proposal has been rejected. She, however, demanded to know how the giant wheel is still standing tall at the venue.
“We have decided to demand all details concerning the feast fair being held by the civic body. Every year, the private organiser seemed to have benefitted from the fair, while the civic body has not gained any revenue,” Doris said, while demanding that the Chief Officer also take cognizance of complaints that money is being extorted from hapless and poor hawkers at the fair.
Hawkers refuse to pay fees, claim business
down with stalls coming up on SGPDA land
MARGAO: Hours after the opposition councillors demanded transparency in the revenue earnings from the old market feast fair, Chief Officer Ajit Panchwadkar deputed a team of officials to the fair on Tuesday evening to levy fees on the stalls, only to meet with resistance from the hawkers, claiming their business is down with stalls coming up on the adjoining SGPDA land.
A team of market inspector along with Accounts and Taxation officer Abhay Rane descended at the old market feast fair for the collection of fees for using the municipal land. The hawkers, who had been demanding action against the stalls doing business on the adjoining SGDPA land, point blank told the municipal team that they are not in a position to pay the fees with the business activity shifting to the adjoining PDA land.
Left with no option, the municipal team returned back from the fair and is expected to file a report with the Chief Officer on Wednesday.
Incidentally, questions are being asked why the MMC did not collect the stall fees from the hawkers well in advance this time round, suspecting foul play in the entire process. Sources pointed out that the MMC ought to have collected the fees from the hawkers in the civic body itself as was practiced in the past, before the well established process was given a go-by in the last four years.
Given the situation, all eyes are focused on the Chief Officer as he will be called upon to take a call how to go about collecting the revenue from the stalls.
In the meantime, with the DMA Dr Tariq Thomas directing MMC Chief Officer to dispose of the applications moved by two parties to set up furniture and other stalls on the SGPDA ground, the civic body has asked the applicants to place on record the NOC from SGPDA for the allotment of space, besides affidavit/indemnity bond; site location plan; NOC from fire services, NOC of Urban Health Centre.
The applicants were directed to submit all the documents before 4.30 pm on Tuesday in order to consider the request, while directing the hawkers not to commence any activity without prior permission.
