MARGAO
Hit by all-round criticism over the quantum of sanitation fees finalised by the civic body, the Margao Municipal Council has worked out different slabs for different stakeholders, including households, traders, gadda traders, hoteliers, etc, even as the civic body has come out with a special rate for traders of the two municipal markets, the New market and the Gandhi market.
The sanitation fees are expected to be notified by June-end and the actual implementation may take place around August-end.
As a special concession for the New market and Gandhi market traders, Chairperson Babita Angle Prabhudesai on Monday offered to reduce the annual sanitation fees levied on these traders, from Rs 1,800 to Rs 1,200. The traders, however, have asked the Municipality to match the sanitation fees of Rs 600 levied on the residential households, a suggestion which has not found favour with the Chairperson.
The Chairperson discussed the issue of sanitation fees with representatives of the New market traders represented by President Vinod Shirodkar, Gandhi market vendors’ leader Rajendra Azgaonkar, Gadda Traders Association President Prashant Naik, representative of the cloth merchants, Sahish Panandikar and others as part of the consultative process initiated by the civic body before finalising the rates.
Babita told the media after the meeting that the civic body has now worked out the sanitation fees on area basis after the hue and cry raised by the citizens.
“We have decided to give special concession for the traders of the New market and Gandhi market since the traders have promised to collect the sanitation fees from every person. We also have plans to bring under the trade licence net traders who have not been paying the trade licence fees in both the Municipal markets,” she added.
When asked whether the two Municipal market associations have accepted the sanitation fees proposed by the civic body, the Chairperson said the Associations will get back to the Municipality after their general body meetings scheduled next month. “The new fee structure will be notified after taking the stakeholders into confidence, tentatively by May-end. We can start implementing the rates from August 31,”
she added.
Gadda owners President Prashant Naik informed that the civic body has worked out a special rate for the gadda traders, including omlet-pav traders, which will be discussed by the stakeholders before giving accent to the Municipality.
