VASCO
The Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) meeting on Friday witnessed heated debates over the regular anti-encroachment drives by the MMC market committee, with some councillors alleging that the market committee had been selective in targeting vendors.
The MMC Market Committee Chairman Mathias Monteiro, however, refuted the allegations and challenged the councillors to prove their allegations
Councillor Girish Borkar accused the market committee of selectively harassing the vendors.
“There was no issue when the committee was undertaking drives in the vegetable and fruit market where there are encroachments, but they have now ventured into old MMC grocery market, where Goan vendors have been doing business for over 50 years.”
“This same committee has been ignoring shops along the roadsides which are encroaching on streets right on the periphery of this market. The commitree has also ignored encroachment of the wholesale fish market on the Kharewaddo road," said Borkar.
MMC Chairperson Damodar Kaskar said the new council was firm against encroachments of any sort, by any vendor and at any location in the city.
"We will not tolerate any selective targeting of vendors nor allow any kind of encroachment. I have also instructed the market inspector to fully support the market committee and also ensure that there is no encroachment of any sort in MMC’s jurisdiction," said Kaskar.
PAY-PARKING
The MMC is likely to take up pay-parking at major locations of Vasco City.
During a council meeting on Friday, MMC Councillor Vinod Kinlekar said parking had become a major issue in the port town.
“We need to implementation pay parking at major locations in Vasco just like the Corporation in the City of Panaji (CCP) has done in the capital city. This will not only generate revenue, but instil discipline among motorists, generate parking space and even make the city look beautiful," said Kinlekar.
“People will be more than willing to pay nominal charges if the issue of parking is streamlined," said Kinlekar.
MMC Chairperson Damodar Kaskar said many councillors had demanded that MMC takes up resolution of pay parking in the city.
"It is the need of the hour to instil some parking discipline and we must take pay parking in most parts of the city. We will take this up with relevant authorities and we will try to implement pay parking in MMC’s jurisdiction at the earliest," said Kaskar.
