TEAM HERALD
PONDA: About 400 market vendors from Budhwarpeth market in Ponda are likely to meet Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar at his residence on Thursday morning to apprise him of the controversial hike of sopo tax.
Before meeting the chief minister, the vendors will lead a ‘Shoba Pradarshan’, a peaceful rally of vendors in Panjim city.
The Ponda market is likely to be shut down as all the vendors will be at the Collectorate at Panjim at 9.30 am, after the vendors were summoned by the additional collector to hear the petition filed by Ponda police against vendors for creating law and order problem.
in Ponda.
However, the vendors will open the market after meeting the chief minister and additional collector.
The vendors’ delegation will place their grievances against hiked Sopo tax with the chief minister.
The vendors alleged that injustice has been done to them by PMC by increasing Sopo tax without having discussion in a special meeting. They said they will demand termination of Sopo contract, as the chief officer had also remarked that some instalments are not deposited by the Sopo contractor and suggested its termination.
“PMC included some vendors in the committee without discussion with the market vendors committee. PMS is not terminating the Sopo contract despite the Sopo contractor having failed to pay instalments. We are ready to pay all the arrears of Sopo tax not paid by us to PMC,” said a vendor.
