Team Herald

MARGAO: Margao Municipal Council’s move of issuing notices to business establishments operating without submitting all the mandatory documents and sealing three such premises that had not responded to the notices has yielded quick response as people are now rushing with documents and clearing their long pending dues.

Since the drive was started on August 29, 2018 MMC issued notices to 93 business premises that were operating without mandatory documents namely trade licence, house tax or title document with many claiming that the original lease agreement was with the head office wherever it was.

Many parties who were issued the notices have since produced the mandatory documents and started paying their dues. Chief Officer Siddhivinayak Naik while assuring that the drive would continue said they have slowed down a little to give time to those who claim that the original document was with the head office.

Although the notice gave the party eight days time to produce the necessary document, the council has decided to give some more time specially to the financial institutes including nationalized banks that are operating without even the trade licence.

However, the council sealed three premises as the owners did not respond to the notices at all. The premises sealed were the Archies gallery, ACC Cement and Chola Insurance -- operating in the Guru Sai Plaza building at Pajifond.

Interestingly, the ACC Cement very surprisingly found the original of the lease agreement the same afternoon when their premises were sealed. Earlier, they maintained that the original document could not be traced.

While Chola Insurance has paid Rs 1,28,635 as its taxes, ACC Cement has paid Rs 1,78,200 to the council. However, Archies has not yet produced any document and hence their premises continues remain sealed.