MARGAO
Suspense reigns supreme in the corridors of the Margao Municipal Council as the proposal to hike the garbage fee and other taxes finds no favour with the politicos, many of whom have questioned the 50 per cent hike on taxpayers when no tax is collected from hundreds of unassessed and illegal houses.
The municipal administration seemed to have pushed for the hike citing a 2020 government notification as resolved at the special council meeting held last week to adopt the budget. Sources in the know, however, said the hike in the garbage fee has not gone down well with a section of councillors.
When The Goan called up MMC Chairperson Damu Shirodkar to shed light on the delay in taking a call on the new taxes as decided at the meeting, he said the issue will be resolved to the satisfaction of all concerned.
“The civic body has still not implemented the new rates. We will take a call on the issue by Wednesday,” he said.
The Chairperson, who is openly batting for moping of additional revenue to keep the MMC in good stead with the monthly wage bill crossing Rs two crore, has come under the scanner of the administration and councillors.
Margao MLA Digambar Kamat, who is presently out of the station, is expected to return late Tuesday. Sources said the issue is likely to be discussed with the MLA before a final decision.
The municipal administration, sources said, is strongly in favour of the implementation of the 2020 government notification. Based on the notification, the administration prepared the budget estimates for the 2023-24 financial year, hoping it will enrich the coffers. Senior civic officials, however, seemed to have left the decision to the leadership.
A group of councillors, including ruling councillor Shagun Naik, has openly opposed any hike in the garbage fee. “It would be unfair on the sincere taxpayers to be charged additional taxes. I believe the MMC should revisit the issue before taking a decision,” Shagun said.
Will MMC bring illegal structures under tax net?
MARGAO
Margao councillors, the Babus and the powers controlling the municipality may have to grapple with this contentious question “ will the MMC dare to bring the hundreds of illegal houses and structures under the house tax and the garbage fee, enjoying amenities, including waste collection, free of cost?
For, the 2020 government notification on garbage fees mandates the municipalities to levy user charges even for unassessed houses, units, hawkers and businesses operating without trade licences and this shall serve only as service charges towards the waste collection and not confer any legal status to them.
It’s common to hear councillors complaining at meetings that households in several areas are not under the tax net, denying revenue.
Apart from the migrant-inhabited areas at Moti Dongor, Pajifond, in areas on the city’s south beyond the railway line which are not assessed for taxes, complaints are galore that houses have not been reassessed for house tax in the MMC jurisdiction.
The powers that be may have to answer a question “ When will the MMC bring the illegal and the migrant-inhabited area structures under the tax net if it is keen on levying a 50 per cent hike on sincere taxpayers?
The Goan understands that attempts were made recently to bring the illegal structures under the tax net without conferring these structures with any legal status. Survey reports compiled by the civic body in the past have all been confined in the dusty records, sources said.
SCM to lead protest today
MARGAO
The Shadow Council for Margao has called for a protest against the proposed hike in house tax and garbage fee for the 'assessed' premises within the jurisdiction of Margao Municipal Council on April 5 at 11 am in front of the civic building.
The SCM has appealed to all the people, whether residents of Margao or outside and who are taxpayers and contributors to the municipal treasury, to participate in large numbers to protest against the discriminatory system of taxation.
Convenor Savio Coutinho informed that the SCM has been consistently raising its voice against the taxation system which only pinches the pockets of the legally assessed premises, while the unassessed pay nothing towards the services claimed to be provided by the council.
“Thousands of unassessed premises are vote banks of politicians, and hence no efforts are made to assess them and collect the much needed revenue. However, on the other hand, structures that are locked and not creating waste are slapped with fees," Coutinho pointed out.
