CANACONA
Chief Officer Mangaldas Gaonkar announced that the Canacona Municipal Council will take action to remove all illegal scrapyards if the served notices are ignored.
This statement was made during a Council meeting, where it was revealed that there are over nine scrapyards operating illegally within the municipal areas. Notices have been issued to all scrapyard owners to shut down their operations within the municipal jurisdiction.
“If these scrap heaps are not removed within the given time, the municipality will take action to clear them and close the scrapyards,” Gaonkar informed the councillors. This issue was raised in response to concerns about the proliferation of illegal scrapyards in the municipality.
Councillors also discussed the payment of overdue municipal taxes and the relocation of carts in light of the upcoming Fish Market at Chaudi. It was noted that the municipality had permitted over a dozen locals to operate businesses in Chawadi. These permit holders are required to pay appropriate fees and renew their permits, but many have failed to do so, continuing their trades illegally.
“The location of these carts is now part of the road leading to the new fish market. I strongly demand their relocation to suitable places,” stated Councillor Dhiraj (Pandurang) Naik Gaonkar. Chairperson Sara Naik Desai responded that the carts would be relocated at an appropriate time.
Ruling and opposition councillors clashed over pre-monsoon works, such as sewerage repairs, placement of concrete blocks, the filthiness in the Chawadi fish market, and the unlicensed scrapyards.
Councillors complained about the insufficiency of the municipality’s four garbage vehicles (compactors). Chairperson Sara moved and passed a resolution to purchase two new vehicles for garbage collection.
Chaudi Councillor Ramakant Naik Gaonkar mentioned that the new fish market’s construction would be completed soon, and the toilets in the vegetable market would be repaired for use by fish market vendors.
The Canacona municipality is yet to receive trade taxes amounting to Rs. 1.5 crore. Councillors demanded attention to the collection of these taxes, house-to-house garbage collection, and reopening the blocked road to the Ourem beach coast, among other issues.
The meeting, chaired by newly elected CMC Chairperson Sara Shamba Naik Desai, was attended by most councillors.
