OLD GOA
Even as the Santa Cruz Panchayat served notices to four vendors operating outside the GMC entrance to cease business, the vendors cried foul, questioning why those operating on the opposite side of the entrance were let off scot-free.
The four vendors informed reporters that the Santa Cruz Panchayat had served them notices after conducting an inspection some time ago. “However, vendors on the other side of the GMC entrance have not received such notices. So, why the discrepancy?” questioned Gurudas Divekar, one of the vendors who received the notice.
When it was pointed out that the notices clearly stated the four vendors had been allocated shops in the rehabilitated area, Divekar highlighted that they were not getting business there because other vendors were still operating at the GMC entrance. “Therefore, we also moved our operations here,” he stated.
Another vendor, Reshma Kankonkar, explained that shops adjacent to hers had been rented to outsiders, which is not permitted. “The outsider is harassing me and not allowing me to conduct business there, so I moved my business to the GMC entrance,” she stated.
Meanwhile, Santa Cruz Sarpanch Jeniffer Oliveira explained that GMC authorities had complained about vendors operating outside the entrance, prompting the Deputy Collector to direct them to take action. “Based on this directive, we issued notices to these four vendors who had already been allotted shops in the rehabilitation project,” Oliveira said.
When asked why only these four vendors had received notices while others were freely conducting business, Oliveira stated that there was a current dispute between Santa Cruz Panchayat and Curca Panchayat regarding jurisdiction near the GMC. “Curca Panchayat claims that the area where these vendors are operating falls under their jurisdiction. Therefore, we did not issue notices to them,” Oliveira explained, adding that Curca Panchayat should take action against those vendors.
