MARGAO, AUG 11
Asserting that the Civic body will not compromise on the payment of rent by the petroleum companies, Margao Municipal Council on Wednesday threatened to revoke the NOCs issued to the petrol pumps if the companies fails to clear rent dues amounting to Rs 35 lakh by August 23.
At a joint meeting between representatives of Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum and the MMC led by Chairperson Savio Coutinho and Chief Officer Y B Tawde, the Civic body conveyed a message loud and clear to the oil companies that there cannot be any compromise on the rent payment.
Both Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum were served final notices by the Margao Civic body on December 11, 2009 to clear their respective dues. The Civic body on July 26 this year sent reminders to the two oil companies to settle the payments within 25 days or threatened to remove them from their place of business and recover the dues.
“Today’s meeting was called by the oil companies to negotiate on the notice served by the Civic body, but we have made it very clear that there cannot be any compromise on the amount payable by the companies”, asserted MMC Chairperson Savio Coutinho.
Incidentally, Coutinho said the oil companies were categorically told that the 10 per cent increase in rent every year was effected as per government’s circular.
“What has come as a shocking revelation in this entire episode is that the Municipality had never raised any bill for the last 32 years asking the oil companies to pay the annual rent. Records show the oil companies have not paid any amount to the Civic body prior to 2001”, Coutinho added.
According to Coutinho, while Bharat Petroleum were served a notice to pay accumulated rent amounting to Rs 22.44 lakh, Hindustan petroleum owed to the Civic body rent amounting to Rs 12.40 lakh.
Incidentally, the district Administration, South had proposed for the shifting and relocation of the petrol pumps located near the old bus stand a decade ago to ease traffic congestion. However, successive district Collectors, including incumbent G P Naik has failed to relocate even a single petrol pump to the outskirts of the city.
