Margao councillors reject proposal to hike one-time water and power charges

Team Herald

MARGAO: The Councillors of the Margao Municipal Council (MMC) on Monday rejecting the proposal to increase the one-time water and electricity connection charges. 

Chief Officer Johnson Fernandes presented the budget for financial year 2018-19 but it failed to get approval from the councillors as they claimed to have received the copies late.

The MMC will now hold a special meeting at a later to approve the budget. 

The Chief Officer and MMC Chairperson have put the budget to the council floor test. 

Spelling out the budget summary, the Chief Officer informed that significant changes in the budget have been made with the MMC now having a disaster management fund and also another fund of Rs 50 lakh to the building maintenance. Another Rs 20 lakh has been sanctioned for the maintaining MMC’s interiors. 

The MMC is expected to increase its house and sanitation tax fees. The Chief Officer informed that illegal houses in the MMC jurisdiction can now be assessed for taxes and houses constructed only on private lands on or before December 31, 2012 can be assessed according to the Government circular.

There was uproar by the councillors over the proposed hike in one-time charges of water and electricity connections to new constructions. Councillor Clara Fernandes said, "People are already burdened with too many taxes and now we cannot levy additional charges on them". 

Councillor Arthur D'Silva said, "We are here to serve people and reduce their worries and we should not increase taxes again". 

MMC Chairperson Babita Angle informed that the square in front of Pandava Chapel be named as Chandrakant Keni Square. 

"Since the Margao MLA and several eminent personalities of the town along with the local councillor had proposed the resolution, the Council had no reason but to accept it," she said. 

She said it was fairly represented by another section of the society claiming that the Pandava Chapel has been landmark of the town for decades and while they appreciate the contribution of Chandrakant Keni they do not want this place to be renamed. The chairperson assured to sit along with both the parties and work out an amicable solution. The Chief Officer assured that the work of the Margao multi-storey parking project has been proceeding in right direction and the work of which will be tendered and an order will be issued soon.

On the Garbage Plant, the council informed that the new Solid Waste Management Rules now mandate segregated waste and added that the MMC will have to be sent the segregated waste to the plant. 

Councillor Arthur D'Silva said, "An agreement with Fomento has been for 25 years and is still on trial basis for which 7 years have passed. MMC needs to provide more clarity on the issue".