Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) coun cillor Joel Andrade and ac tivist Dattaprasad Naik on Wednesday demanded the immediate revocation of permissions granted to spas and massage parlours oper ating in the capital city. Speaking to the media outside a spa on 18th June Road, Naik said as many as 28 spas and massage par lours had been permitted in and around Panjim, includ ing seven along the city’s main commercial stretch. Condemning Revenue Min ister Atanasio ‘Babush’ Mon serrate’s claim that the Cor poration was responsible for granting these permissions, Naik said, “The CCP ruling panel belongs to Monserrate.” “His son is the Mayor. These are cheap tactics. Is it not cheap to give NOCs to spas and massage parlours? Are you trying to turn Panjim into a walking street? Should we be promoting unethical businesses? Why do we need such businesses? Are there no better ventures to start?” Naik said Monserrate, who is also the Panjim MLA, lost his temper earlier in the day when asked about illegal spas and massage parlours in the Smart City area. He told reporters not to ask “stupid questions” and said they should “ask the CCP instead.” Naik insisted that the Mayor could not evade responsi bility. “When anyone applies for a trade licence, they have to mention the name and type of business. The Mayor has the authority to reject the application if it is for a spa or massage parlour,” he said. Naik alleged that the Corpora tion was responsible for turning 18th June Road into a “spa road” and demanded that the police send a decoy customer to uncover any illegal activities taking place inside these establishments. Councillor Joel Andrade said he had raised the issue dur ing CCP meetings, but no action had been taken. “I have filed an application under the RTI Act regarding spas and massage parlours, and I am awaiting replies from the Cor poration,” he said. Last month, the CCP’s Standing Committee decided to stop issuing new licences for spas and massage parlours within its jurisdiction following complaints from residents and growing concern over the proliferation of such estab lishments. Reacting to Monserrate’s outburst, AAP Goa president Adv Amit Palekar hit out at the BJP-led government. “The arrogance of Ministers of @BJP4Goa is not just limited to the people of Goa but now even extends to the media. In the morning it was Babush, and now it’s Sudin. Who is the May or of CCP? How come so many spas are running in the cap ital city? Do they have permissions? Who’s getting paid to let them operate and carry out prostitution and victimize women under the guise of spas? So now the job scam is not by BJP but by the media? Does CM @DrPramodPSawant have any control over his Ministers, administration, or po lice? Goa is indeed #Mirzapur,” he wrote.
Activist Dattaprasad Naik, CCP Councillor Joel Andrade Demand Ban on Spas and Massage Parlours in Panjim
