PMC will do the bidding and will keep the work order on hold. Once the contract of sopo collection is awarded we will seek intervention of Directorate of Municipal Council with regards to issuing of the work order
Johnson Fernandes,
Chief Officer, PMC
THE GOAN NETWORK
PONDA
Though the Department of Urban Development has directed the Ponda Municipal Council to continue with the collection of the sopo in its jurisdiction (collection by PMC itself) for a period of three months, the local body has decided to go ahead with auctioning of sopo tender on August 27, Thursday at 10.30 am.
Chief Officer Johnson Fernandes told The Goan, that he is yet to complete the process of auctioning the tender as notices were published in newspapers regarding the same.
“I don't want to the council's money. We have already spent around 40 thousand rupees on advertising the notices. If we stop the process by not going in for bidding, that money will be wasted,” Fernandes said.
It may be recalled that Ponda Vyapari Sanghatana had observed a market bandh on August 12 to protest against PMC's decision to auction the sopo. Since the last couple of months, PMC staff have been collecting sopo from vendors. The council was in the process of auctioning the collection of sopo.
The letter sent by the Department of Urban Development has directed the PMC to continue collecting sopo and has asked to submit a report so as to enable the government to take appropriate action.
It has also asked the council to hire sufficient man power on temporary basis to facilitate collection and avoid leakage of revenue.
To a question whether PMC will issue the work order (of collecting sopo) to the contractor, Fernandes replied that it the council will undertake the bidding and keep the work order on hold.
“Once the contract of sopo collection is awarded, we will seek the intervention of Directorate of Municipal Council in respect of issuing the work order,” Fernandes said.
Sources informed that PMC officials fear that if they cancel the bidding process, then someone may challenge it as it was already announced and published in local dailies.
Kishore Mamlekar, President of Ponda Vyapari Sanghatana, said that PMC can't go for bidding as the Department of Urban Development has not given its nod to carry out the process.
“How can PMC go ahead with the bidding process tomorrow (Thursday) as not a single auction form has been issued. They can't bypass the laws. We will protest again if they do any malpractice to auction the sopo,” Mamlekar told.
Meanwhile, Shivanand Sawant, believed to be close to MLA Lavu Mamledar, in a press release has welcomed the decision of department not to auction the sopo. “I and four other councilors have always opposed the sopo auction, because there was a huge fraud involved,” the councilor alleged.
Lavo Mamledar had raised the issue of sopo during in the Assembly of which the Department of Urban Development had taken cognisance.
