Vendors confront Bicholim council over sopo taxes
HERALD CORRESPONDENT
BICHOLIM, APRIL 1
About 75 vendors confronted the Bicholim Municipal Council (BMC) on Wedesday, after voicing their anger over confusion in the collection of Sopo taxes.
The incident took place when the vendors suspected that the Sopo contractor had collected taxes higher than the rates fixed by the BMC.
The vendors confronted the council inspector and later contacted BMC Chairperson Satish Gaonkar in the matter.
Mr Gaonkar assured the vendors that the Sopo tax would be collected as per the norms of the Council.
It may be noted that the sopo tax has been increased from Rs 5 to Rs 8 per sq.mtr from April 1 and council authorities had informed the vendors of this revision in taxes.
However, the council inspector had stated that the tax was collected higher than necessary as the contractor had erred in some calculations.
Councillor Bhagwan Harmalkar, Manohar Shirodkar and Kamlakar Teli had also alleged that the Sopo tax was not collected as per norms. The contractor, however, claimed that the tax had been collected as per the rules.
