PONDA: Hundreds of Matoli vendors, fruit, and vegetable vendors have made their presence in the Ponda Market to sell their produce. But many of them have complained that PMC staffs are charging exorbitant sopo taxes from the street vendors. The vendors have demanded to reduce the sopo tax according to DMA directions to PMC in 2014.
Matoli Vendors in Ponda Market including readymade garment vendors at footpath protested against PMC’s exorbitant sopo charges and posted the receipts of sopo taxes on social media which went viral ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 600. The garments vendors on footpath said they were being charged for same area last year Rs 300 but this time they are paying Rs 600, almost double per day for their business during chaturthi Bazaar.
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Viraj Sapre a social worker from Ponda said that people are going through covid pandemic and are struggling for livelihood, and in such situation the sopo taxes should have been reasonable.
Presently, there is no chairperson for PMC and hence all the powers are given to Chief officer to decide on Matoli Bazaar. When contacted Chief Officer Kedar Naik he said the sopo taxes are charged according to area that they are occupying and according to PWD revised rates 2017. When asked about complaints by some vendors on exorbitant sopo, he said that they must have occupied double space. However, he rejected exorbitant charges.
When asked to one of the councilor he said that PMC have not passed any resolution to hike the sopo taxes for footpath vendors during Matoli Bazaar.
