MARGAO
Will the South Goa Planning and Development Authority (SGPDA) float the much-awaited tender for the collection of sopo fees and maintenance of the wholesale fish market at least at the beginning of the New Year?
Days and months are just passing by and the SGPDA’s promise to float the tender and maintenance contract are all confined to the papers. Prospective bidders have been knocking on the doors of the SGPDA for the much-sought-after tender, but officials have only handed over assurances in the matter.
Otherwise, consider this. At the 87th meeting of the SGPDA held on November 25, it was decided to float the tender for the sopo collection and market maintenance. A resident of Chinchinim, Malcolm Pereira, who had expressed his willingness in writing to pay a monthly amount of Rs 18 lakh to the SGPDA if he is allotted the tender, has been told by the PDA Member Secretary Vertika Dagur that he cannot be issued the contract as the tender is yet to be finalized.
As per the standard reply, the SGPDA told Malcolm on December 8 last to apply for the bid as and when the tender is floated by the planning body.
The question that remains unanswered is when will the SGPDA float the tender and invite bids from prospective bidders to take the contract for the sopo collection fees and market maintenance.
When The Goan called up SGPDA Chairman, MLA Wilfred D’Sa, to shed light on the status of the sopo tender, he said he would have to check the present position in view of the intervening festive season.
SGPDA Member Secretary Vertika Dagur was not available for comment on Friday.
The Goan understands that the SGPDA officials had put up a remark in the file that the PDA should receive at least Rs 14.5 lakh every month by levying sopo, taking into account the number of fish vehicles entering the market and the hike in the sopo fees by the planning body last year.
On November 25 after the SGPDA’s 87th meeting, the Chairman had said, “We have set in motion the process to tender the wholesale fish market sopo contract. The PDA has obtained the technical sanction from the PWD for tendering of the sopo collection at the wholesale fish market. Those interested in the sopo contract should participate in the tender as and when it is floated.”
That’s not all. The SGPDA Chairman had then said that the sopo collection in the wholesale fish market has now gone up manifold in the last few months. “Earlier, the PDA used to earn a revenue of Rs 18 lakh annually. Now, the PDA has taken steps which will ensure that the sopo collection revenue goes up to Rs 1.08 crore,” he said.
It is indeed a sheer coincidence that the wholesale fish market sopo contract has not been tendered for over a decade now. The last time the sopo and market maintenance contract was floated was around 12 years ago, with the contractor getting the extension for reasons best known to the rulers.
