Team Herald

MARGAO: The rains and pressure of routine work has literally brought to a grinding halt the Margao Municipal Council’s drive against plastic carry bags as the same can be seen used by vendors in all the three main markets of the town, namely SGPDA market, New Market and Gandhi Market.

The last drive against vendors giving away plastic carry bags was carried out on June 7 where 26 cases were booked and vendors were fined to the tune of Rs 43,000. While Rs 20,000 worth fines were levied on four vendors in Old Market area, fines of Rs 16,000 were levied on nine vendors in the SGPDA market and Rs 14,000 fines were levied on 13 vendors in the market and Power House area.

Meanwhile, ill health of Chief Officer Johnson Fernandes resulted in delay in filing the charge sheet against the vendor who had failed to pay the fine levied by MMC for giving goods in plastic carry bags. 

It may be recalled that on June 7, 2018, the MMC chief officer had written to the Fatorda Police to file a charge sheet against Mehboob Narangi for having failed to pay the fine of Rs 2000 levied by MMC for giving goods in a plastic carry bags.

However, Police Inspector Navlesh Dessai replied saying that there is no provision of law that the police can use to book a case against Narangi and instead suggested that the Chief Officer directly file the charge sheet before the Judicial Magistrate First Class.

The plea to the JMFC was drafted but was not filed as the Chief Officer fell sick and had to proceed on leave and is likely to be filed before the courts on Thursday.

“Only when one case is charge sheeted and the news spreads amongst the vendors that the MMC is serious about this matter the vendors will toe the line,” said Johnson Fernandes.