Team Herald

SANGUEM: After several letters, reminders and payment request letters, the Sanguem Municipal Council (SMC) has now given two-day ultimatum to the municipal shop lessees either to pay the rental dues or face action of their shops being locked.

It may be recalled that the municipal shop lessees in Sanguem are to pay dues amounting to over Rs 60 lakh to the SMC. The unpaid dues are towards arrears in the municipal rent since the year 1998 which the lessees thought would be either reduced or scrapped as they were of the opinion that the rates were increased inappropriately.

Subsequently, the lessees had a series of meetings with the council in the presence of the local MLA; they even met the Director of Municipal Administration (DMA) and the chief minister with a request to direct the SMC to reduce rent arrears but to no avail.

The DMA however informed the lessees to pay the arrears in four installments which were subsequently increased to eight months by the chief minister.

Now, the municipality has given final two-day notice to the defaulting lessees. “The rent, either in part or full, should be paid latest by Tuesday; failing which the SMC will seal the shops by Wednesday,” informed sources in the council.

Due to nonpayment of rent, the SMC is facing difficulties in paying wages and salaries to its staff and workers. Sources informed that the municipal workers have not been paid their wages for the last couple of months. While some were paid on the eve of Ganesh Chaturthi from payment received from some of the lessees.

The SMC now would take strict action against the lessees by Wednesday, sources informed.