PERNEM
According to sources, many merchants on Wednesday phoned and personally visited PMC Chairperson Usha Nagvekar to oppose the council’s move to hike the tax.
Speaking to The Goan, a businessman, Vinod Methar said PMC should provide all the facilities to the merchants before increasing the tax. “PMC never cleans the surroundings near the shops and has also failed to provide toilet facilities to the merchants,” he claimed.
“Some traders run their business from rented shops. Sometimes they have to face losses as there is no business for them and 50% hike is not fair,” said Methar.
Shree Bhagvati Urban Cooperative Society chairman, Shripad Parab, said the PMC should take the merchants and chairmen of various societies into confidence before implementing the decision.
“Our society pays a tax of Rs 945 per year and how does PMC expects us to pay Rs 12,000 per year,” questioned Parab.
“Before increasing the tax, PMC should see if there is increase in business of the merchants. As there is less business, most of the merchants prefer to go to other cities and PMC went ahead and increased the tax, which will be opposed by all the merchants,” stated Parab.
Former PMC chairperson and a merchant, Smita Kudtarkar, said people can’t pay the rent of the shops as there are no customers. “PMC should examine how much revenue is earned by the merchants and then implement the hike by taking the merchants into confidence,” she added.
Former Pernem sarpanch Narayan Mayekar, a merchant, asked the PMC to make available basic facilities to the merchants before increasing the tax. “PMC could increase the tax by 10 per cent in a phased manner and should not inconvenience us by going in for a sudden hike.”
Another trader, Uday Kudtarkar, said during festive seasons the market and the road are occupied by roadside vendors, due to which local shop owners face losses.
“The shop owners have to pay all kinds of tax, but PMC gives relief to roadside vendors,”
he added.
A medical shop owner, Vishwanath Tirodkar, said: “My shop used to pay Rs 100 per month as tax and now
it is not possible for us to pay Rs 1000.”
