The Mapusa Municipal Council had reportedly started its anti-encroachment drive on May 10 by seizing goods and items on footpaths and road-widening areas. It is understood that the drive has brought much cheer to the common man. The drive had to be stopped after the Director of Municipal Administration (DMA) reportedly directed the Chief Officer to refrain from seizing any goods or articles from shops or stalls for failing to follow proper procedure. However it is learnt that the civic authorities restarted the anti-encroachment drive by confiscating the goods from Saturday, May 20, by doing proper inventory. The anti-encroachment drive is a good move however videos doing the rounds on the social media show the municipal staff loading onto the truck refrigerators and other expensive equipment which have been kept on the pavement by the shop-keepers. It must be said that many of the vendors are leading a hand-to-mouth existence. The Municipality could consider this massive anti-encroachment drive as a final warning to the traders and return their goods as per the inventory after imposing a stiff penalty.
