Team Herald

MARGAO: Following heated discussions, the demand of two BJP-backed councillors and an Independent councilor, Margao Municipal Council on Friday decided to accept forms for transfer of taxes without the identification by the local MLA and also decided to cancel the contract with the sopo collector along with the contract with the labour provider.

Councillors Rupesh Mahatme and Ketan Kurtarkar along with Jafar Budhani strongly objected to the new system adopted by the council to get all applications for transfer of taxes identified by the local MLA. “You get it identified by a gazetted officer or notarized or the local councilor but not the MLA,” they argued stating that many people find it difficult to go to the MLA.

Rupesh in fact alleged that the municipal engineers were inspecting only those premises whose applications are identified by the MLA while the other applications are gathering dust in the municipality. 

After it was ascertained that there were two different forms of application provided by the council with the old one that was issued in 2016 not making it mandatory for the MLA to identify, it was decided that the council would accept all forms and engineers would inspect even those premises that have not been identified by the local MLA.

Chairperson Dr Babita Prabhudessai declared that the sopo collector has defaulted on payments of two installments and further disclosed that the security deposit cheque issued by the contractor has bounced and the council is in the process of initiating proceedings against him under the Negotiable Instruments Act.

She said while he paid the installment for the month of June, he has not paid any amount from July onwards even though he is supposed to pay around Rs 5.5 lakh every month as he had bagged the contractor to collect sopo by offering to pay MMC Rs 65,17,088.

She said they have Rs 16 lakh as guarantee amount from Aaron Fernandes who had bagged the contract to collect sopo and it was decided to encash it to recover the dues owed to the council. Rupesh asked the officials to check whether Aaron has signed an agreement with some other party to sub-let sopo collection.

The council was also informed that a termination notice was issued to Bapu Social Service Organisation that was providing labourers to collect garbage from households in the wards of Fatorda constituency primarily over the issue of GST.

However, as the Ganesh season is coming closer, it was decided that the labourers provided by him be recruited by the council till the end of September to deal with the garbage that will be generated due to the festive season. Incidentally, the contract with Bapu Social Service Organisation was expiring on September 12, revealed Dr Babita.

The council rejected Victor Apollo Hospital’s proposal to hand over the gymnasium at Malbhat to them to set up a canteen and instead the council decided to repair the premises and use it as annex building of the council to store their files and other material.

It was also decided to employ the drivers currently working on contract basis as daily wage workers as no contract labour will be permitted from October 31, 2018. The new drivers that will be required when new compactors and rickshaws come will also be employed on daily wage basis and the computer clerk who is on contract basis will also be employed as daily wage worker.

The council also resolved to give permission for the Muslim organizations to have their Zulus procession in November provided no vehicles whether four-wheelers or two-wheelers were used. Only one three wheeler that carries the sound system will be permitted.

Besides deciding to purchase one generator set for the municipality, it was also decided that works worth Rs 8 lakh will be taken up in each of the 25 wards given the fact that the council is getting around Rs 1 crore grant and the council has funds of about Rs 1 crore to spend.