25 unutilised shops sealed in Panjim market

25 unutilised shops sealed in Panjim market
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, AUG 3
In an attempt to regulate affairs of city market, the Corporation of the City of Panaji today sealed 25 shops, which were not utilized.
CCP Mayor Carolina Po said that the drive will continue even tomorrow. “Since morning our officers have sealed 25 shops. All these shops were occupied but were not functioning,” she stated.
Po said that as per the survey there are nearly 95 shops, which are non-operational and the tenants have also failed to prove their ownership over these shops.
“Not a single tenant approached us proving their ownership and occupation of these shops. Hence the decision was taken to seal them,” she said.
However, she refused to comment on the future of these sealed shops.
“Let us complete the procedure of sealing first….then the next step will be taken,” Po said.
The decision to seal all these shops from the city municipal market was taken in the recent market committee meeting, after the Corporation received a poor response from the market tenants over signing of new lease agreement.
“These are the shops whose names are also not included in the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation’s (GSIDC) market agreement list,” Po clarified.
A strong objection was raised over sealing of shops by the Market Tenants Association, which has refused to accept the new lease rates of Rs 195 per sq meter.
The Corporation had come out with a notice asking market tenants to pay their rents as per the new rates of Rs 195 per sq meter as against Rs 30 per sq meter by July 15. Apart from this, the tenants were also asked to submit all the documents to prove their allotments and occupation in the market complex.
As per CCP report 458 shops and stalls and 446 vegetable and flower vendors have occupied space in the market. And there are 100-odd shops which are either closed down or are not functioning.