MARGAO
The gram sabha of the Betalbatim panchayat on Sunday discussed a host of issues, including the issue that Portuguese passport holders are opening businesses in the village and leasing out to outsiders.
The issue of revision of tax on hotels, migrants staying in the village, mobile towers etc also figured prominently at the meeting.
At the gram sabha chaired by sarpanch Anthony Fernandes, the issue of revision of tax on hotels figured prominently with members demanding to know the tax payable by the hotels and guest houses to the panchayat.
Former MLA Mickky Pacheco pointed out that the tariff of Rs 3,000 per room imposed on the hotels is too meagre, even as he insisted that the tariff should be revised by the panchayat.
He said the panchayat should impose the tax on the hotels as per the laid down guidelines by the panchayat.
In his reply, the sarpanch pointed out that Betalbatim has a total of nine hotels and around 68 guest houses. He assured the members that the panchayat would discuss the issue of revision of tax on the hotels and act accordingly.
While saying that the hotels were paying lower taxes in the past, the sarpanch explained that the tax on the hotels was revised sometime back by the panchayat.
One of the members demanded to know whether the hotels have carried out extensions to their premises and whether the panchayat has initiated any action.
The issue of Portuguese passport holders setting up businesses in the village and leasing out to outsiders also figured prominently at the meeting. Members pointed out that several outsiders are running businesses in the village on the premises leased out by the locals who are Portuguese passport holders and demanded action.
The sarpanch has assured to look into the matter and promised to act if the members bring to the notice of the Panchayats specific instances of businesses wherein the premises is in the name of Portuguese passport holders and leased out to outsiders.
When the issue of migrants came up for discussion, the sarpanch pointed out that the panchayat has got a survey report of the number of migrants putting up in the village. He said the panchayat will soon take a call on issuing identity cards for the migrants.
With a mobile tower coming up near the cemetery, the sarpanch was asked to seek the opinion of experts on the question of radiation caused by the mobile towers.
