MARGAO
The South Goa Planning and Development Authority (SGPDA) will have to wait for some time to terminate the sopo collection contract as the local court has directed the Planning body to maintain status quo in the sopo collection.
The court issued the direction after the sopo contractor Milagres Fernandes filed an application in the Court of Civil Judge, Junior Division, Margao, not to terminate his services in the wholesale fish market till the disposal of his application.
The application filed by Milagres will come up for hearing in the court on October 5.
It has been the contention of the sopo contractor that he was told by the SGPDA to collect the sopo fees from the wholesale fish market till the PDA floats a tender for the collection of the fees.
Meanwhile, SGPDA Chairman, MLA Wilfred D’Sa has questioned the claim made by contractor Milagres that the latter had handed over the sopo fees collected from the wholesale fish market to his PA. “The contractor is not supposed to hand over the money to any person, other than the PDA,” he said.
He further demanded to know whether Milagres had deposited with the PDA the amount collected from the fish cutters, the traditional fishermen and the small vehicles of retailers entering the market.
“The contractor has made a claim that he had deposited certain amount of money with the PDA for the months of July and August. He should clarify whether the amount deposited is only pertaining from the vehicles or the amount collected from the fish cutters, fishermen etc,” he added.
