MARGAO
When the Margao Municipality bulldozed with the decision to levy 50 per cent hike in garbage fees at the beginning of the current financial year in April 2023, citizens slammed the decision, accusing the civic body of burdening the taxpayers with additional doses of taxes.
The citizens had charged the civic body of turning a blind eye to the hundreds, if not thousands of illegal houses, dotting the commercial capital and enjoying all the civic amenities despite not paying any taxes to the municipality.
In a bid to assuage the sentiments of the honest citizens, the Margao municipality announced a survey to identify the illegal houses and commercial establishments, especially in the market area, to bring them under the tax net.
The moot question, however, remains unanswered “ Has the much-publicised survey been completed in all respects, and if yes, how many establishments and illegal houses have been brought under the tax net, highlighting the inflated revenue projections with rent from these establishments?
If sources are to be believed, the survey has been completed by the market inspectors in some respects, but it has not been implemented in both letter and spirit for reasons best known to the City fathers and municipal babus.
